A Difficult Decision
by Blackrose197666
Summary: Following a spell in captivity Multiple Man's power is getting out of control, and there's only one way he can stop it - the cure. But neither he nor his pyrokinetic boyfriend are thrilled by the idea...
1. Missing In Action

**A Difficult Decision**

**Disclaimer: **Alas only little bits of plot are mine. If I owned any of the characters, a certain female would not have made it past the first film…

**Author's Note: **I'm back! Woo hoo! How long's it been? A whole week…

This is set a few years after Alcatraz (you can decide yourself how many) presuming the following points: Bobby went back for Pyro and got him off Alcatraz island before Jean went on her little destroying spree (which of course _he did_!) and the two have spoken and while they're not friends they didn't fight again. The cure has remained in use, with mutants wishing to remain cured taking "top-up" shots but with much tighter controls on its use as a weapon. The Brotherhood have been keeping a low profile and have had some loose contact with the x-men but they have not actually fought again.

We're veering away from Pyro/Iceman and Pyro/Iceman/Multiple Man love triangles and having just a straight forward Pyro/Multiple Man multi chapter (absolutely no Pyro/Iceman romance, only maybe friendship!). There may also be hints of other pairings that I decide on as we go, there will definitely be Bobby/Marie (Grrrr) and I'm sure I can squeeze Jinx and Tommy in too…

Now – I'll be upfront. I have a beginning and I have the middle but the ending is gonna be up to you guys. This can go to a happy ending or a sad ending so in other words you will be making the difficult decision. And hopefully you'll all decide the same… unlike all the other times I've asked for help and been met with a 50/50 split…

One more point to note – I am presuming that you have watched beyond the credits of the third film to where it is revealed that the Professor has put his mind into the body of the brain dead patient shown in the film? If you haven't watched it then basically the professor is alive and just in a different body. I left him out my last story but this time round I'm gonna need him.

Anyway… on with the first chapter me thinks…

**Chapter One: Missing in Action**

A graceful smile pulled on Ororo Munro's lips as she stood at the office window looking out at the grounds of the Xavier's School for Gifted Children. It was just another typical Saturday afternoon with the younger children running riot wherever they found space, the basketball court was full, the mutants Ororo still counted as kids even though they had been teaching for a couple of years – Piotr Rasputin, Bobby Drake, Marie D'Ancanto and Kitty Pryde – sat with Warren Worthington, chatting amongst themselves and taking a well earned rest from schoolwork…

"You could just go out and enjoy the sunshine yourself you know," came a kind voice from behind her. Ororo laughed quietly and turned to look at Professor Xavier.

"These papers won't mark themselves," she smiled wryly. Charles Xavier shook his head.

"I'm sure they can wait," he smiled knowingly. "I doubt very much that you would have let things fall so far behind that you _must_ mark these now."

Ororo smiled sheepishly.

"True…" she conceded. "But I just wanted to…" she paused as there was a knock on the door, Hank McCoy easing the already slightly ajar door open. "Get them done before Hank arrived. Hi Hank."

"Ororo," the new arrival smiled warmly before turning to the Professor. "Charles."

"Hank, welcome," Xavier gave his fellow mutant a nod. "I wasn't expecting you."

"Oh, it's just a flying visit as I was en route back to Washington," Hank replied with a slight shrug. Xavier smiled.

"Well you are always welcome," he said as Ororo shut the folder on her desk.

"It's such a lovely day," she said, rounding the desk to stand in front of Xavier and Hank, addressing the latter in particular. "Perhaps we can go for a walk?"

"Sounds good," Hank nodded with a warm smile. He turned to look at Xavier, a frown pulling onto his brow as he took in the professor's sudden serious expression. "Professor?"

Xavier looked gravely towards the window.

"We're about to receive company…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

"Oh, I could stay out here all day…" Kitty sighed wistfully, lying back on the grass and closing her eyes.

"Sounds good to me," Marie smiled, snuggling into her boyfriend's chest. Bobby just laughed quietly, slipping an arm around Marie's shoulders. He looked up as a shadow appeared over them.

"Oh, hey Logan," the ice mutant smiled up at the new arrival, squinting slightly at the sunlight that spilled past the older mutant's shoulders.

"Hey," Logan grunted, eyeing the sky suspiciously. Marie looked up also, arching an eyebrow.

"Logan? Everything ok?"

The male sighed heavily.

"I smell trouble."

Marie rolled her eyes.

"You always smell trouble," she reached out and tugged on his trouser leg. "Come and lie down and _relax_."

Logan gave one last dubious look to the skies before sitting down next to Bobby and Marie, unable to ignore such a plea from the female. The group sat in a comfortable, content silence for several minutes… until suddenly darkness descended.

"What on earth…"

Logan's eyes narrowed as he glared back up at the sky.

"Trouble," he growled, leaping to his feet. The other mutants looked upwards too, squinting against the sunlight as the shadow seemed to grow closer. Only when the helicopter came properly into view did the group hear the soft whir of its engine and propeller…

"Kitty, Marie," Ororo appeared suddenly by the group as they stood, Hank not far behind. "Try and get the kids back inside. Or at least keep them away."

The two girls nodded as the boys followed Ororo and Hank towards the helicopter, Logan already standing near where it appeared it would land. Stealthily the helicopter touched down, the blades slowing to a stop. The waiting x-men all stared at the helicopter apprehensively, the only sound being that of Logan's claws unsheathing. Finally the doors opened, two all too familiar mutants stepping out. A low growl emitted from Logan's throat. The younger of the visitors replied with a small flick of the wrist, a small fireball twirling around his fingers…

"Pyro…" Mystique cast him a quick glance, the pyrokinetic – grudgingly – extinguishing the flame before the shapeshifter turned back to the waiting x-men, holding up her hands innocently. "We come in peace."

"I doubt that…" Logan grumbled, but Ororo gently placed a reassuring hand on his arm.

"Logan…" she said quietly, gesturing for him to take a step back. He did as he was told, albeit only a slight step. Ororo took a deep breath and turned to Mystique. "So… to what exactly do we owe the pleasure, Raven?"

Mystique curled her lip up slightly at the use of her given name but managed to maintain a calm demeanour.

"We need your help."

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

It took only a short time for the group to gather in Xavier's office – the professor, Ororo, Hank, Logan, Bobby, Piotr, Warren and the two Brotherhood mutants. The x-men turned to look at Mystique expectantly, not so concerned with the quiet fire mutant who sat beside her.

"So…" Ororo sat down opposite the other female before Logan could open his mouth. "With what exactly do you need our help?"

"And more importantly why the hell _should _we help?" Logan grumbled. Mystique took a deep breath, her lip curling up ever so slightly in disdain at the male but kept her gaze fixed on Ororo.

"One of my… _colleagues _is missing in action," she replied simply.

"And that's our problem how?" Logan scoffed. Ororo cast him a slightly exasperated look.

"Logan, please," she smiled reassuringly before turning back to Mystique. "What do you mean missing?"

Mystique took a deep breath.

"James Madrox – _Multiple Man_," Mystique replied. "He carries a fake ID with the name Taylor Jordison in case he's ever… injured or… _caught_. He went out for supplies three days ago and we haven't heard from him since. We can't find him any trace of him anywhere – he hasn't been arrested or hospitalized," she arched an eyebrow. "Not officially anyway."

"But… I mean how can you be sure he hasn't just…" Ororo frowned slightly as she sought the words but before she had the chance to think of them Logan helped her out.

"Come to his senses and got the fuck away from you guys?"

"He hasn't just left," Pyro suddenly snapped. Logan smirked slightly, holding his hands up in a mock retreat. Mystique curled her lip up slightly at Logan but otherwise continued to address Ororo.

"Multiple Man is…_diligent_ when it comes to keeping in touch," Mystique addressed Ororo. "He would not just disappear. If he hasn't been arrested or injured then someone has taken him in secret," she glanced across at Hank. "All I ask is that perhaps someone looks into it for us?"

Hank gave a nod.

"Of course," he glanced at his watch. "I am due to return to Washington imminently anyway."

"Don't you guys have _phones_ here?" Pyro grumbled. Hank shook his head.

"If, as you suspect, your _colleague _has been taken by the military or… someone else… then it is best to deal with it in person. Besides which I have greater reach back at my office," he turned his attention to Mystique. "I will be in touch as soon as I have information."

With a quick smile at Ororo, Hank gave the professor a nod and quickly exited the room. Ororo looked towards the professor, obviously having a mental conversation with him.

"Will the two of you be staying until we hear from Hank?" she queried. Pyro opened his mouth to reply but Mystique answered for them.

"If it wouldn't be an imposition."

"Myst…" Pyro started to object but the shapeshifter turned on him quickly, silencing him with a hushed conversation. The fire mutant crossed his arms defensively but he sighed quietly, bowing his head in conceit. "Fine."

Ororo gave a nod as the matter seemed to be resolved.

"Piotr, can you please find Mystique and John a room please?" she smiled as the Russian nodded, looking back to the two Brotherhood mutants. "Give you some peace while you wait."

Mystique nodded, standing gracefully. Pyro just curled his lip up and clambered to his feet as Piotr gestured for the two to follow. Ororo glanced down at her watch.

"Dinner will be served in about half an hour," she informed them.

"Not hungry," Pyro muttered, leaving the room even before Piotr. Mystique gave a slight sigh before nodding at Ororo.

"Thank you Ororo," she said before following Piotr and Pyro from the room. The door was barely shut behind them before Logan spoke up again.

"Well nice to see fireball is co-operative as ever," he muttered before looking to Ororo. "You are kidding right?"

Ororo sighed.

"They just want a little help," she replied diplomatically. "And if this Multiple Man is being held unlawfully then it this may have wider repercussions."

"But…"

"They do seem to be genuinely concerned for their friend," Ororo reasoned.

"_Friend_? Please," Logan scoffed. "They're just upset to be a man down."

"Logan," Ororo sighed. "I am confident they mean us no harm," she arched an eyebrow. "This time."

Logan just growled quietly and shook his head.

"I'm not so convinced."

Ororo smiled.

"Well as always I feel better knowing that your ever suspicious mind is on full alert," she gestured towards the door. "Now all of you go and enjoy what is left of the afternoon."

The remaining x-men – including Logan – left the room. Ororo sighed heavily and turned to the professor.

"What do you think?"

Xavier arched an eyebrow.

"Indeed they do seem to be genuinely concerned for their fellow mutant," he shrugged slightly. "I think we can trust them this time."


	2. Deep Concern

**A Difficult Decision**

**Chapter Two: Deep Concern**

Bobby Drake made his way out into the gardens later that evening, assigned with the task of ensuring all the students were safely inside the mansion. The ice mutant was just about to turn back towards the huge building when a small red glow caught his eye. He watched as the glow brightened briefly before moving off to the side. It was then Bobby noticed the dark shadow sitting behind the glow.

"You know that smoking's not allowed on school grounds," the cryokinetic made his way towards the shadow.

"I know," John took another long drag from the cigarette in his hand. "That's how I managed to confiscate this packet from one of the kids," he smirked as Bobby screwed up his face. "Besides – Logan smokes."

Bobby laughed quietly as he sat down next to the fire mutant, put at ease by the lack of his normal aggression. Even after everything that had happened between them – and perhaps _because _of everything that had happened between them – the two mutant's seemed to have developed a high level of understanding.

"Logan is older than me and bigger than me," he arched an eyebrow. "You're neither."

John curled his lip up and inhaled again from his cigarette.

"Could still kick your ass," he muttered although there was no malice in his tone.

"I'm in no rush to put that to the test again," Bobby replied softly. John arched an eyebrow, finishing his cigarette and pulling out the tiny sparks, throwing the extinguished cigarette on the ground in front of him as he twirled a small fireball round his fingers.

"I don't know if I ever said thank for… you know… coming back for me," the fire mutant eventually said quietly. "So eh… thanks."

Bobby couldn't help but smile faintly.

"No problem," he shrugged slightly to keep the mood relatively light. "You haven't made me regret it yet."

John let out a quick laugh.

"Well I do _try _and behave myself," he smirked before reaching into his pocket and pulling out another cigarette, manipulating the little fireball in his hand to light it. Bobby's smile widened albeit cautiously.

"I like that things have been… _peaceful_."

John took a deep breath – of fresh air this time.

"Yeah, well…" he frowned slightly. "That's just 'cause the _humans _are behaving themselves."

Bobby arched an eyebrow, deciding to steer the conversation away from politics just in case it started an argument.

"I thought you always said you'd quit smoking."

"I did," John blew a big billow of smoke out in front of himself. "Just started up again."

Bobby looked at the fire mutant dubiously but didn't argue with him.

"So… what you been up to then?"

"Like I'm gonna tell you x-man," Pyro smirked. Bobby rolled his eyes.

"Whatever _Pyro_."

The pyrokinetic chuckled quietly, taking another drag from his cigarette.

"Haven't been up to much actually," he shrugged. "Since Mystique hasn't really needed me I've just been hanging out at home."

"Home? Do you not all stay together?"

"No… not at the moment," John took another drag of tobacco. "Since things have been quiet I got my own place. I just go back to the base when Mystique needs me," the fire mutant's voice grew ever so slightly quieter. "Jamie stays there too."

A slight frown pulled on Bobby's brow as John extinguished the cigarette in his hand, immediately reaching into his pocket for another.

"You never used to smoke this much," he commented

John bristled defensively, blowing smoke from his lips sharply, waving the cigarette in Bobby's direction.

"Only my fifth cigarette in almost two years."

Bobby looked from the cigarette in John's hand to the four finished ones littering the ground in front of him.

"You're really worried about that guy who's missing aren't you?"

John scowled.

"What, bad guys not allowed to have friends?"

"Of course not! I mean yes – of course you can have friends," Bobby sighed, chastising himself for causing the sudden air of hostility. He offered the fire mutant a reassuring smile. "I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Oh well if _you're_ sure than it will all be ok won't it?" John grumbled, continuing to inhale long, deep breaths from his cigarette.

"I just meant that you don't _know _something has happened to him."

"He would have called by now," John insisted.

"But maybe…"

"Bobby, we live together…" John reiterated quietly, clenching his fist around the fireball he twirled in his spare hand. "He would have called."

"He could have just been distracted," Bobby continued, not noticing just how agitated the pyrokinetic was growing. "Maybe he met someone or…"

"Drake we _live together_," John snapped. "_Together_,together, so the thought of him being with someone else isn't much more appealing than thinking something's happened to him."

Bobby's eyes widened slightly as he shut his mouth abruptly. John sighed heavily, running his spare hand through his hair as the other raised the cigarette back to his lips.

"Sorry, I never realised…" Bobby stammered apologetically. "I thought he was just another Brotherhood mutant."

"He is Brotherhood," John shrugged slightly. "Just… when Mystique said he'd gone out for supplies what she really meant was he left our place to go to the grocery store cause I had a craving for hot n' spicy pizza."

Bobby shook his head slightly in disbelief.

"I didn't even know you were…"

"_Gay_?" John prompted, rolling his eyes as Bobby's voice trailed off. "Well for the record I did try and tell you several times."

"Really?" Bobby's brow furrowed.

"Yeah," the fire mutant mumbled through a billow of smoke. "You were always too busy with your new girlfriend."

Bobby bit his lip guiltily.

"I'm sorry John."

The fire mutant waved a hand dismissively.

"No big deal," he shrugged although Bobby's guilty expression remained.

"So…" the ice mutant ventured after a brief silence. "Is it serious with you two?"

John scoffed slightly.

"We _live together_," he repeated. "I'd call that fairly serious."

"True…sorry I didn't…" the ice mutant laughed quietly. "I didn't mean to imply it wouldn't be serious – I'm just used to you being single," he arched an eyebrow questioningly. "So is he in the Brotherhood cause you're together or…"

"What is this, twenty questions?" the pyrokinetic muttered, stubbing out his cigarette on the ground and throwing it with the rest but this time he did not light up another. "Nah, he joined up before we got together – that's how I met him. We busted him outa prison when we were busting out Mystique."

"Prison?" Bobby queried.

"Yeah, he's a bank robber by trade," John shrugged. Bobby laughed quietly at the fire mutant's casual tone.

"So… how long ago was that?"

"Oh, just before Alcatraz."

"Really?" Bobby's eyes widened slightly. "That long ago? And he was at Alcatraz?"

"No, he wasn't there. He was acting as a decoy at our base, fooling any satellite surveillance."

"Right, of course, Hank said something about a duplicating mutant…" Bobby nodded, a slight smile pulling on his lips as he glanced over at the pyrokinetic. Talking about the multiplying mutant seemed to be easing John's worry over his absence. "So… you've been together for a long time then."

"Oh, we haven't been together the _whole _time, just…" John shrugged. "We just fooled around for a while and then," the fire mutant bowed his head sheepishly. "Jamie pointed out that we weren't fooling around with anyone else so…"

Bobby nodded slowly as John's voice drifted off, trying not to smile too broadly at the pyrokinetic's sudden shyness. He arched an eyebrow as he noticed the fire mutant was fidgeting with a steel ring on his left hand ring finger.

"Must be serious," he smiled. John frowned slightly and looked over at the ice mutant, quickly shaking his head as he realised what Bobby was looking at.

"Oh this? No, this just… I just woke up one morning and I was wearing it. I mean we never… spoke about it just..." the fire mutant sighed heavily, bowing his head and running his hands through his hair. "We _never _talk about us – or _I _don't talk about us. He's always telling me that he loves me and I just tell him that's 'cause he's crazy – which he kinda is – and the only times I can ever actually say it back is when I'm drunk or… _exhausted_… or…" John laughed dryly, shaking his head. "…and I don't know why I'm telling you all this."

Bobby smiled faintly.

"'Cause we're friends?"

John scoffed.

"Friends? You really think we could ever be friends again?"

"Yeah," Bobby replied simply. The ice mutant studied the pyrokinetic thoughtfully. "Do you remember that time when you had just not long arrived and you had that huge fight with one of the other kids? And then you picked a fight with Summers?"

"Vaguely…" John grumbled.

"And do you remember what I said to you when I came and found you in your room?"

"I remember telling you to fuck off," the fire mutant muttered.

"I told you that you don't have to be scary fire guy twenty-four seven," Bobby said simply. "You _still_ don't have to be scary fire guy twenty-four seven," he held up a hand to stop John turning his scary fire guy expression – and mouth – on him. "I think that's just who you are John. I believe that all the terrible things you've done have been driven by the fact that you do actually care about other people."

"Says Bobby Drake, licensed psychiatrist," John rolled his eyes. Bobby shook his head.

"So you're saying that you did everything you've done purely to be violent and destructive?" he asked, giving a small nod as the fire mutant bowed his head again. "_I _think that you do it because deep down you wanna protect the people you care about."

"Is that what you think is it?" John mumbled, head still bowed.

"Yeah, that's what I think," Bobby nodded definitely. "You're allowed to have friends and lovers and…" he shrugged slightly. "Or else what the hell are you fighting for?"

"I guess…" the fire mutant admitted reluctantly. Bobby smiled faintly, trying not to look to triumphant.

"So… tell him how you really feel when we find him."

The slightest of smiles pulled on John's lips.

"Meh, I'll think about it…" the pyrokinetic replied quietly. Bobby rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Stubborn asshole," he muttered, although his smile remained as a brief silence fell over the two.

"So, what about you Drake?" John asked, seeking to maintain conversation in a bid to stop himself lighting up again. "Still with Marie?"

"Yeah, still with Marie," the ice mutant nodded, a slightly sheepish grin pulling at his lips. "We're eh… we're having a baby."

"Really?" John's eyes widened in surprise. "Well, congratulations," he said genuinely although he couldn't help but curl his lip up slightly. "She's still dosing up on the cure then?"

"John…" Bobby sighed helplessly. "Don't start."

"Not starting anything," the fire mutant shrugged, reaching for that cigarette he had been trying to avoid. Bobby rolled his eyes at John's tone.

"Look, I understand your objections to it, really I do. It should never have been used as a weapon," the ice mutant conceded. "And I do worry that it'll be misused – I mean if I were younger and still at home I'm sure mom and dad would'a… _encouraged _me to take it."

"_Forced _you," John corrected and Bobby didn't argue. The fire mutant shook his head. "There's nothing wrong with the way we are."

"And that's why there are counsellors in every clinic," Bobby pointed out diplomatically. "To make sure people are taking the cure for the right reasons."

"There are no right reasons," John replied bluntly. Bobby sighed quietly.

"Surely you can understand why those like Marie take it? I mean she used to spend every waking minute terrified of hurting people – people she cared about."

"And?"

"Oh come on John! Would you really deprive some mutants of the chance to have relationships? To have children?"

"If that's their mutation…" John shrugged. Bobby shook his head.

"Have you never wanted children?"

John scoffed.

"I'm gay and come from a long line of abusive fathers so no – kids aren't on the agenda."

"Then you can't understand what it's like!" Bobby tried to keep his tone reasonable. "What about… I mean what if your power meant you couldn't be intimate with Jamie? Would you not even _think _about it?"

"No," John replied stubbornly. Bobby took a deep breath, shaking his head helplessly but was prevented from replying as the professor's voice.

_Could everyone please return to my office, we have located James_…


	3. Not Trusted

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note: **Ugh – should'a just started with the Brotherhood already knowing where Jamie was like I originally planned… I'm not one for writing "action" scenes – I'm all about the character interaction. Anyway – we're going back to the good old days of Mama Mystique and crazy Jamie (I have missed both of them so!). A short chapter but it's been a while since I've posted so I wanted to get something up. Hope you enjoy!

**Chapter Three: Not Trusted**

Bobby arched an eyebrow as he followed John down the corridor towards the Professor's office, the fire mutant not quite running but despite his shorter legs he was proving hard to keep up with.

"Well?" John looked expectantly between Ororo and Xavier as he entered the Professor's office. Ororo gestured to the empty seat next to Mystique.

"We're just waiting for everyone else…" she said softly. The fire mutant curled his lip up and rolled his eyes but took the seat next to Mystique without further comment. Bobby silently took his place standing in the corner of the room, offering Piotr and Warren a meek smile as the two other mutants joined him. Finally Logan sauntered into the room, crossing his arms leisurely as he leant against the wall next to Bobby, earning a blazing glare from the agitated fire mutant in the room…

"So…" Logan gestured to Ororo for the other mutant to get on with it. Ororo rolled her eyes slightly but spoke in a calm voice.

"We have located James," she confirmed. "He is enrolled in a medical research programme at a base in the Nevada desert, looking into the effects of mutation on physical and mental health."

Logan scoffed.

"See? Got fed up of you guys," he muttered, turning towards the door.

"He wouldn't volunteer for something like that!" John insisted. Ororo held up a hand to silence the fire mutant and stop Logan leaving.

"James Madrox has a history of mental illness does he not? Surely this programme is perfect for him."

John curled his lip up.

"He was misdiagnosed with multiple personalities when he was a kid," the fire mutant scowled. "He's _not _mentally ill."

Ororo bowed her head slightly in conceit but quickly raised it again confidently.

"Hank actually visited this facility a couple of months ago. He can assure you there is nothing untoward going on."

"But…" John started to object but Mystique held up a hand to silence him.

"May I enquire as to where this facility is exactly?" she enquired. Ororo arched an eyebrow.

"Hank did not give me that information."

Mystique bristled slightly but kept a calm composure – unlike the younger mutant sitting next to her.

"What? Why the f…"

"Pyro…" Mystique silenced the fire mutant with an ease Ororo found surprising. "Clearly we are not trusted in these parts," she stood gracefully, pulling Pyro to his feet as she did so. "At least we know which state Jamie is in," the shapeshifter gave Ororo a quick nod. "Thank you for your time."

"Mystique," Ororo quickly rose from her seat. "You can believe Hank when he says there is nothing to be concerned about."

"And you can believe us when we say Multiple Man would not sign up for such a programme," Mystique replied pointedly. "Come Pyro."

"We don't want any trouble," Ororo looked Mystique firmly in the eye. The shapeshifter arched an eyebrow.

"Why Miss Munro, neither do we. And if this facility really is above board then there won't be any – will there?" she smiled sweetly and lightly pushed her pyrokinetic companion towards the door. Ororo pursed her lips but let the two go without further argument. Logan watched dubiously as the two Brotherhood mutants left the room.

"We're just going to let them go?"

Ororo sighed quietly.

"They haven't done anything wrong Logan."

"Not yet."

"I have no doubts that Hank will warn anyone who needs warned," Ororo reasoned. Logan rolled his eyes.

"Well that was a great use of our time," he grumbled, pushing himself away from the wall. Bobby frowned slightly.

"What if they're right though? I mean about this guy not being the sort to sign up for something like this?"

"Oh come on!" Logan shook his head. "They were just pissed cause they've misplaced a body."

"But why would they be so desperate to track him down?" Bobby pressed. Logan shrugged.

"Maybe he double crossed them or something," the male opened the door to exit the room. "Not our problem."

Bobby opened his mouth to object further but instead just sighed quietly as Logan left. Ororo offered the mutants left in the room a meek smile.

"You should all get yourselves to bed – it's getting late."

The remaining mutants nodded and silently filtered from the room. Ororo sighed quietly and turned to the professor.

"Do we need to be worried?" she asked pensively. Xavier arched an eyebrow thoughtfully.

"I truly have no idea…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

"Ignorant motherfuckers," Pyro grumbled as he clambered into the helicopter, crossing his arms moodily. Mystique arched an eyebrow, gracefully climbing into the pilot seat next to him.

"At least we have a good idea where he is now," she pointed out, starting up the helicopter.

"Yeah – cause it'll be so easy to find a base in the fucking Nevada desert," Pyro scowled. Mystique laughed quietly.

"It will be when we look back at Ambassador McCoy's recent itinerary," she pointed out. The fire mutant next to her pursed his lips slightly.

"I guess…" he conceded. Mystique allowed herself a slight smirk as the helicopter lifted from the ground but it quickly faded again.

"Have you been _smoking_?"

Pyro flinched slightly, bowing his head away fro Mystique's piercing golden eyes.

"I had one or two…" he mumbled, daring to cast a sideways glance at his companion. "…or six.. or seven…"

Mystique sighed and shook her head.

"Six or seven too many," she chastised. The fire mutant screwed up his nose but did not argue, turning instead to look out the helicopter window, frowning thoughtfully as the Xavier mansion faded into the darkness below them…

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

A quiet groan escaped Jamie's lips as slowly he became aware of a slow pounding in his head, a dull ache drifting through his entire body. Grudgingly he tried to raise his arms but found he couldn't. Blearily the multiplying mutant opened his eyes, blinking rapidly to try and clear his blurry vision but all he found was near darkness, no distinguishable landmarks visible. Jamie tried to take a deep breath but just flinched violently as a sharp pain clamped around his chest. The multiplying mutant closed his eyes tiredly, rolling his head to the side, the pain slowly fading away into a highly unsettled slumber…

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Mystique cast a quick sideways glance at the pyrokinetic sitting in the chair next to her, the younger mutant's eyes drifting steadily shut as he sat and waited for her to work her magic on the base computer. The faintest of smiles pulled on her lips as she watched the gentle rise and fall of Pyro's chest grow steady, the fire mutant slowly falling asleep. He hadn't slept properly for days…

The shapeshifter curled her lip up disdainfully as she turned her attention back to the computer screen, frowning heavily as she raked though the files she had uncovered regarding the Nevada research base recently visited by Ambassador McCoy – none of them being terribly useful. She cursed under her breath as she scrawled through file after file, blueprints and plans, nothing giving her any further useful information to what Hank had already told them. The base was military, making her particularly keen find out everything she could before going anywhere near the place…

"You've found him?" Pyro suddenly leant over her shoulder. Mystique arched an eyebrow.

"Not exactly…" she replied tightly. "He's listed on a programme with three other mutants but I can't actually find them in the building. I have a list of all the patient rooms and they're not in any of them."

"So… what? They're being held somewhere else?" John frowned. Mystique sighed quietly and leant back in her seat.

"I don't know," she admitted. "We need a closer look at that facility."

"Well come on then," John stood but was quickly seated again as an elegant blue hand grabbed his wrist.

"Not so fast," she said firmly, holding up her free hand against the objections she knew were about to come. "We can't just go marching into a military base that we believe to be hostile."

The fire mutant screwed his face up.

"_You_ could," he mumbled. Mystique arched an eyebrow, tapping her fingers thoughtfully on the desk.

"It's risky," she pointed out. "If they catch on that I'm trying to get in then… we could be putting Jamie at further risk."

John frowned reluctantly, settling back down properly in his seat.

"So what do we do?"

Mystique bowed her head slightly.

"We're still gonna need help," she admitted. "And we aren't going to get any from the mansion unless we can prove foul play," the shapeshifter pursed her lips. "Perhaps… Pietro?"

John scoffed.

"He'll never help us after the way Magneto treated him last time he gave us a hand," the fire mutant shook his head. Mystique scowled slightly but gave a relenting nod.

"Still…" she allowed herself a slight smirk. "He does have a soft spot for you."

"Ha…" John laughed dryly. "He propositioned me once and Jamie knocked him out. Another reason he probably wouldn't be in a rush to help."

Mystique rolled her eyes.

"You kids…" she smiled ever-so-briefly before her serious expression returned. "I'm going to have to take the helicopter and run some scans," the shapeshifter cast a dubious look over the blueprints on her screen. "See what the _real _situation is."

John nodded in agreement.

"So let's get going then," he insisted. Mystique shook her head.

"You aren't going anywhere near that place yet."

"But…"

"If he is there and if I do find him, it will take more than the two of us to get him out of there," Mystique arched an eyebrow pointedly, returning her attention briefly to the computer to print off a document, handing the papers to the fire mutant. "You go and check out the other _volunteers_."

John opened his mouth to argue further but instead gave a conceding sigh. He reluctantly nodded, knowing deep down that the shapeshifter was right. It wouldn't do Jamie any good to go charging in all guns – or wrist lighters – blazing. But even knowing they were doing the right thing didn't make him feel any better about leaving Jamie for longer…

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

… …

… …

…_ow…_

… …

… …

_Holy crap, what have you been doing to us?_

… …

… …

_I feel like we've been hit by a train…_

_Shut up!_

_Excuse me?_

_I think someone's not very happy we're back…_

_Shut. Up. _


	4. Lost and Found

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note: **Firstly _thank you _for the review (you know who you are!) I don't like asking for reviews but feedback is always appreciated – keeps up the motivation! Now, I am going out on a limb here and continuing to use Pietro and I will apologise now if I at any point write Piotr by mistake! I used our good old friendly Russian a fair bit in my last story so am just used to typing his name.

**Chapter Four: Lost and Found **

_... ..._

_... ..._

_... ..._

_Ow._

_... ..._

_... ..._

_Are we alive?_

_That – or you've all followed me to Hell._

_Oh you'd be so lonely without us..._

_Fuck off._

_Seriously – are we still alive?_

_I'm sure if we were dead it wouldn't hurt this much._

_Then open your fucking eyes!_

_... ..._

_Too tired..._

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Pyro sighed wearily as he made his way down the base corridor, checking his cell phone quickly but there was no word from Mystique who had left to scout out the base a few hours ago while she still had the cover of darkness. The fire mutant rubbed his eyes tiredly, stifling the yawn that threatened to escape his lips. He had tried to get some sleep but had only ended up being woken by his dreams of…

"Hey John."

"Jesus…" John jumped back as a figure appeared seemingly out of nowhere in front of him. The pyrokinetic let out a relived sigh as the blur focused, revealing a lithe mutant a little taller than he, platinum blonde hair, piercing blue eyes and a permanent smirk that showed he knew how attractive it all made him. "Pietro! God you scared me!"

"Sorry…" the fair haired mutant in front of him shuffled slightly, never able to stand still for long, offering John a coy smile. "Mystique said you were needing some help tracking down some people?"

John managed the faintest of smiles as he nodded slowly. He had found the three other so-called volunteers on the programme but was finding it difficult to get any information on them.

"Help would be good," he admitted. "Thanks Pietro."

The other mutant grinned his characteristic wicked grin and grabbed the file from the fire mutant's hand.

"Come on then!"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

… …

… …

_So sore…_

_All this because the crazy little fire freak wanted a pizza…_

_Hey! He's not a freak!_

_Eh…yeah he is._

_Crazy little fire freak…_

Don't_ call him a freak._

_Why not? He is._

_Fuck you._

_Wow...you're arguments are impressive._

_Oh don't you fucking start._

_Hey – I was gonna agree with you! The guy's cute._

_I'm not saying he isn't cute, I'm just saying he's a freak._

_Cute? He is fucking _hot_._

_Yeah...and about _twelve_._

_He is not! _

_Oh come on! He was by far the youngest when we were setting up that camp before Alcatraz._

_So?_

_Just saying..._

_Well don't. _

_Cradle snatcher._

_Fuck you._

_Maybe he is a bit on the young side..._

_Hey! I'm not exactly old myself! _

_Cradle snatcher._

_Oh fuck off._

_Faggot._

_Oh, look who's decided to join us..._

_Fuck you. _

_Mmmmm... another eloquent one..._

_At least I'm not a filthy little queer..._

_I think you'll find that you've been there every time we fucked the little fireball._

_Oh don't be so vulgar about it!_

… …

_What if they got him too?_

… …

_What? No… they…no…_

_Well – they were obviously watching the house…_

_But… _

_What would they want with him anyway?_

_What do they want with _us_? _

_Uh…if anything happens to him…_

_Oh don't worry about him._

_What? What the hell do you mean _don't worry about him_? How can we not…_

_I'll bet he's not worried about us._

_Oh don't start…_

_Well come on he's…_

_SHUT UP!_

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

A faint smile pulled on John's lips as he watched Pietro type furiously, his fingers not even visible.

"I didn't think you'd want to help us again… you know…" the fire mutant screwed up his face slightly, realising too late he didn't actually want to bring this up. "After last time…"

Pietro stilled for long enough to give a slight shrug.

"Dad's a dick," the other mutant replied simply, deliberately slowing down his normally rapid speech. "He's always a dick. Mystique's always been ok with me though."

John simply arched an eyebrow, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with the statement. He sighed quietly and glanced over the computer screen.

"Having any luck?" the fire mutant asked. Pietro shook his head.

"No," he frowned. "I've found them but…"

John nodded slowly.

"Yeah, that's what I was finding," he sighed. He had found the three mutants in question, including their last know addresses and some family details but not much else. There seemed to be nothing suspicious – none of them were listed as missing – but then there didn't seem to be anything else. At all. All there seemed to be were gaping holes…

"We need to go check it out in person," Pietro decided, opening up a file with the names and addresses. "Maybe speak to the family. See if these guys really are volunteers."

Again John nodded.

"Yeah, I guess," the fire mutant sighed, running a hand through his hair. Pietro's brow furrowed.

"Your hands are shaking!" in an instant the older mutant was by John's side, taking a hold of the other mutant's hands. John shrugged, trying to pull back.

"I haven't slept and I had a few cigarettes earlier and am desperate for another one," the pyrokinetic tried again to pull his hands away but the blonde in front of him held tightly. "Pietro…"

"What?" the speedster offered the other mutant a playful grin, albeit tinged with caution. "At least I'm not crazy."

"Jamie's not crazy," John insisted, but he found Pietro's smile somewhat infectious. Pietro arched an eyebrow.

"If you say so…" he smirked, letting go of John's hands only to slip round the fire mutant in the blink of an eye, whispering in his ear. "But you know we'd be _so_ good."

Despite himself John felt his cheeks colour at Pietro's close proximity.

"I'm sure we would," the pyrokinetic managed to maintain a relatively calm voice. "My loss eh?"

"Mmmmmm…" Pietro sighed, running a hand over the fire mutant's shoulders although John barely felt it with the speed it moved. The speedster zipped round to stand in front of John, an over-exaggerated pout on his lips. "You two weren't supposed to be serious anyway."

"We weren't – until you started hitting on me and Jamie turned into a green eyed monster," John smirked, his mood lightened by the playful banter. "Thanks for that by the way."

"Ugh," Pietro curled his lip up but his eyes sparkled amusedly. "You're welcome. I suppose. Just promise that you'll think of me when you split up and need a rebound fuck."

John laughed, albeit a little uneasily.

"I promise you'll be top of the list."

"Good," Pietro grinned, reaching over and hitting the print button and grabbing the paper from the printer. "Right, I'll take these two, you go check out this one."

John took the piece of paper thrust towards him and looked back up but Pietro was already gone. The fire mutant sighed quietly, suddenly feeling very lonely again. Taking a deep breath he looked down at the name and address in his hands. Cayden Poole. May as well get moving…

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

A quiet sigh escaped Bobby's lips as he wandered absently through the mansion grounds early the next evening, glancing up at the sky from roughly the spot where the Brotherhood's helicopter had landed the day before…

"You ok?" Marie asked, looking up at her boyfriend as she walked by his side. The ice mutant smiled reassuringly and slipped his arm around Marie's shoulders.

"Yeah, fine," he replied quietly, casting one last look to the sky. "Just thinking about yesterday."

"You're worried there's gonna be trouble?" Marie queried. Bobby shook his head.

"No, no," he shrugged slightly. "I was just wondering if they'd found their friend yet."

"_Friend_?" Marie scoffed. "Please."

Bobby frowned slightly but managed a quiet laugh.

"You spend too much time with Logan," he jested. Marie grinned sheepishly.

"Well…" she shrugged. "This is _John Allerdyce _we're talking about."

"He's more complicated than you think you know," Bobby commented lightly. Marie arched an eyebrow.

"If you say so…"

Bobby sighed quietly, rolling his eyes but he did not argue further. Instead he offered the mutant walking towards them a warm smile.

"Hi Hank," the ice mutant gave the ambassador a bemused look. "Back so soon?"

Hank returned the smile, giving Marie a nod of greeting.

"Ororo called and asked me back," he gave a slight shrug. Bobby nodded.

"Oh well, we'll let you go and find her then," he and Marie stepped back to let the other mutant carry on his way. Hank gave the couple a parting wave, making his way towards the mansion, heading straight for Ororo's office. Knocking gently on the door he waited patiently for a reply.

"Come in!"

Hank eased open the door and stepped into the room.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't realise you were in a meeting," the ambassador smiled apologetically, noting the student sitting across the desk from Ororo. The female returned the smile and shook her head.

"It's ok, Tommy just got here," Ororo gave the student a smile and returned her attention to Hank. "What brings you back so soon?"

A slight frown pulled on Hank's brow as he shut the door behind him.

"You called me."

Ororo too frowned.

"I never called…" she shook her head. Hank took a deep breath but before he could say anything else the student spoke up.

"No, I made the call," despite the male body it was a female voice that came out – Ororo's voice. Quickly the boys skin peeled back to reveal Mystique's blue scaly skin. The shapeshifter arched an eyebrow pointedly at Ororo. "Call your crew back. Pyro is on his way," she turned her gaze to Hank. "We have some fresh information…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

A low growl emitted from Logan's throat as he entered Ororo's office, his eyes immediately falling on the blue skinned mutant sitting in the corner.

"Persistent bitch aren't ya?" he grumbled, leaning back against the wall where Bobby, Piotr and Warren already stood. Mystique arched an eyebrow.

"When I know I'm right, yes."

Logan curled his lip up, looking between Mystique and Ororo expectantly.

"Well then?"

"We're waiting for Pyro," Mystique shrugged simply. "He should be here any minute."

Logan rolled his eyes but did not comment further as an uneasy silence fell over the room. It felt to the waiting mutants like forever until the office door opened again although in reality it was only a few minutes, Pyro entering the room first followed by a mutant know only to two of the room's occupants.

"Pietro," the Professor blinked in surprise.

"Mr Xavier," Pietro replied curtly, handing Mystique a file.

"Glad we're all friends here," Logan crossed his arms. "Now can we please get this over with?"

Mystique rolled her eyes and gestured to the computer in front of Ororo.

"May I?" she queried. Ororo nodded, pushing her seat back to allow the shapeshifter access. Mystique quickly typed into the keyboard, opening files she had brought with her, the blueprint of a building appearing on one of the walls. "Dr McCoy, this is the base you visited yes?"

Hank studied the blueprints.

"Yes, that is it," he nodded. "A handful of labs, a records room, some personal rooms for the patients…"

"Uh uh…" Mystique arched an eyebrow, clicking on the keyboard again. "Did they let you see these rooms?"

Hank inhaled sharply as a new diagram appeared on the wall, apparently of the same building but this time with a maze of underground levels.

"Where did you get these?"

"I ran some scans from the helicopter overnight," Mystique replied simply. "Infra-red, sonar, heat, x-ray…"

Hank sighed quietly, shaking his head helplessly.

"No, I was not aware of these lower levels."

Logan scoffed.

"What exactly does this prove?"

Mystique cocked an eyebrow.

"Do these not look like holding cells to you?" she gestured to the lowest level and the dozens of lines of small, square rooms. Logan sneered slightly.

"Not necessarily."

The shapeshifter rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Pyro," she turned expectantly to the fire mutant still standing by the door. "The volunteers?"

"Jason Fox, thirty five, wife, two kids, left for work almost three weeks ago, never got there, hasn't been heard from since. His wife reported him missing – I found no record of the missing person report," he tossed a file onto the desk in front of Ororo and Hank. "Kayla Turturro, twenty six, lives alone. Called her sister to say she was on her way round for a visit two weeks ago, never turned up. Another missing persons report filed – another missing persons report nowhere to be found," the fire mutant threw another file onto the desk, holding up the third. "Cayden Poole, seventeen, went missing from his foster home almost a month ago. The carers reported it but guess what? No missing persons report," another file was thrown onto the desk, quickly followed by a fourth. "And James Madrox, thirty one, left his house to go grocery shopping, hasn't been since and you guys fucking ignored us!"

The fire mutant shut his mouth abruptly, clenching his fists as he bowed his head again although no-one seemed to have noticed his increasing agitation, all too concerned with the information the Brotherhood had brought, all except the ice mutant who cast John a quick, sympathetic glance.

"Ok, so it looks a bit suspicious," Logan relented. Ororo sighed heavily, looking to Hank, but the ambassador looked just as concerned. Mystique arched an eyebrow, cocking her head to the side.

"Have we convinced you yet?"


	5. Battle Plan

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note:** Once again I give thanks for the reviews. Now, this is a little bit of a shorter chapter but just feels the right place to split it up.

**Chapter Five: Battle Plan**

A short silence fell over the room, the x-men in the room pondering the Brotherhood's new information. Finally Ororo sighed quietly, giving Mystique a nod.

"It definitely requires further investigation," she agreed although she arched an eyebrow pointedly. "But I am not comfortable with just charging in all guns blazing."

Mystique held up her hands in conceit.

"Of course, we'll draw up a battle plan we're all happy with."

Ororo nodded and looked around the room thoughtfully.

"We're going to need more bodies…" she said, looking to where Bobby, Piotr and Warren stood.

"You want us to go round up the kids?" Bobby asked. Ororo couldn't help the faint smile that pulled on her lips.

"Oh I do wish you wouldn't call them kids…" she shook her head helplessly. Mystique smirked.

"Feeling old Miss Munro?"

"I'm younger than you Raven," Ororo replied before her expression grew serious again, looking to the three males at the back of the room. "Can you please round up your teams? Explain to them the situation and tell them that some of them will be coming with us but some will be staying behind. I'm not leaving the school unattended," she cast a quick glance at Mystique, smiling faintly as the shapeshifter gave an understanding nod. "We will discuss our plan of action and brief you downstairs."

Bobby, Piotr and Warren each gave a nod, turning towards the door. Mystique cast her gaze to the two Brotherhood mutants behind her.

"Pietro, you go for a little run and burn off some energy so you can sit still long enough to hear the briefing and Pyro you go and help round up the x-munchkins."

The fire mutant quickly opened his mouth to object but just shook his head, curling his lip up and clambering to his feet. He hadn't won an argument with the shapeshifter yet and he didn't suppose that was going to change now...

"Hey," Bobby held back in the doorway, holding the door open for John as Pietro whipped past, letting it fall shut and falling into step with the pyrokinetic. "How are you?"

"Fine," John grumbled, crossing his arms and bowing his head as he followed the ice mutant down the corridor. Bobby frowned slightly but didn't get the chance to comment further as a blur appeared suddenly in front of them, halting both mutants in their tracks. Pietro stopped still, looking Bobby up and down before grinning widely.

"You're cute," he smirked, his eyes sparkling mischievously. John rolled his eyes and grabbed the speedsters arm, turning him so he was facing back down the corridor.

"He's straight," the fire mutant shoved Pietro forward as Bobby just stood, a somewhat flabbergasted expression on his face. Pietro sighed wistfully.

"Oh the good looking ones always are," he turned, walking backwards and arching an eyebrow at the fire mutant. "Or practically married to crazy guys."

"He's not crazy!" John retorted but the platinum blonde was long gone. Bobby cast a bemused glance at John as the two carried on walking.

"He's… eh…"

"Yeah, he is," John shook his head in bemusement. "You would never guess he's the spawn of Magneto would you?"

Bobby's eyes widened slightly.

"He's…that's _Magneto's son_?"

"Yup…" John sighed and glanced around the corridors. "So, you have your own team?"

Bobby smiled sheepishly.

"We were assigned small groups to train, yeah. You know, just 'cause there's so many kids now it was easier to split them up. We still train as a big group too though."

"Makes sense," John nodded. "So will I recognise any of these munchkins?"

"Maybe," Bobby replied. "You should remember the triplets."

"The three witches?" John screwed up his nose. "How could anyone forget them?"

Bobby laughed quietly.

"Oh, they're not that bad," he smiled, although he understood exactly where the fire mutant was coming from. The three identical girls had always proven to be a bit of a handful. "And I think Tommy was here before you left… Thomas Bailey? Father's a governor?"

"Oh yeah… I remember the name…" John frowned thoughtfully, not quite able to put a face to that name. Bobby nodded understandingly.

"I think the rest of them arrived after you left."

John nodded, letting out a tired sigh.

"Oh well, better go round them up then…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

_How long have we been here?_

_Too long…_

_God we need to duplicate…_

_Tell me about it, you need a good thumping._

_In your dreams…_

_Oh shut up all of you._

… …

_When has that ever worked?_

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

"Howmuchlongeraretheygonnabe?" Pietro whined, sitting atop a side unit, kicking his legs swiftly back and forth. Bobby blinked rapidly.

"What?"

John chuckled quietly from where he leant against the unit next to Pietro.

"Hopefully not much longer," he arched an eyebrow, glancing at the nearby clock, unable to prevent the sigh that escaped his lips. Bobby offered the fire mutant a sympathetic smile, but before he could say anything the door opened to the training room in which all the mutants were gathered, Hank leading Ororo, Logan, Mystique and the Professor into the room, the general buzz of noise dissipating into silence.

"Right, everyone is aware of the situation?" Ororo sighed and looked round the room, giving a nod as she was met with conformation. "Ok then. We have four mutants to rescue so we will form four groups, headed up by Bobby, Piotr, Warren and… John," she cast a quick glance up at the fire mutant who, after blinking rapidly in surprise, gave a small nod. "Mystique will enter the base under a guise and try and gather us more information. We do still believe that the official research base is a legitimate facility therefore she will set off the fire alarm to evacuate the building to minimise any civilian casualties. Pietro will then make his way into the lower levels and locate the mutants, come back and tell the groups where they are. Hank, Logan and Mystique will… _hover _as back up should any group require medical or other assistance," Ororo took a deep breath, looking around the group. "Jessica, Carl, Corey, James and Kirk you will stay here with the Professor and myself, the rest of you will be assigned your teams on the jet," she took a step back and gestured to the door. "Be careful."

A quiet buzz of conversation started up as the gathered students and teachers made their way towards the door. Mystique caught Pietro and John as they reached the door.

"You ok with that?" she queried, gesturing for them to continue as they nodded simply. The shapeshifter took a deep breath and turned to Ororo. "Thank you."

Ororo gave a small nod.

"Just be careful with them."

A faint smile pulled on Mystique's lips.

"Don't worry Miss Munro, I'll get all your kiddies back to you in one piece," her face grew solemn again. "You will raise a medical team yes?"

"They'll be ready and waiting for you," Ororo confirmed. Mystique simply nodded and breezed out the door. Ororo sighed quietly but a smile pulled on her lips as Hank appeared by her side.

"Don't worry Ororo," Hank returned the smile reassuringly. "You've put a great team together. We'll be fine…"


	6. Not Quite to Plan

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note:** Yes, it's an action scene, yes I hate writing them but thank you for the votes of encouragement – they really helped. Unlike my spectacular hard drive failure that lost my first attempt at writing this chapter (and everything else including the first couple of chapters of the Jinx + Tommy spin off…) Grrrrr…

**Chapter Six: Not Quite to Plan**

Bobby cast a sideways glance at the fire mutant next to him, offering him a reassuring smile although he knew it would not make any difference.

"We'll be there soon," the ice mutant said quietly, frowning slightly as John just sighed. "You have a real good team by the way."

"They're kids," John muttered. Bobby arched an eyebrow.

"Tommy's the age we were at Alcatraz," he pointed out softly. The fire mutant next to him screwed his nose up slightly but did not argue further. Sure enough the blackbird jet soon landed in the desert, as close to the base as the mutants dared. Quickly John stood, he, Mystique and of course Pietro being the first to disembark the jet into the encroaching darkness of late evening.

"I'll head straight in," Mystique addressed both the two Brotherhood mutants and Hank and Logan as they appeared behind them, turning quickly without waiting for a reply from anyone. Logan turned to Hank.

"I'm just gonna go for a sniff about," he said, slipping off as Hank gave a nod. The ambassador looked to John and Pietro.

"I'll just make sure the medical equipment on the jet is ready," he smiled ruefully. "Although hopefully we won't need it."

John sighed heavily as Hank made his way back up the ramp, Bobby making his way down instead, Piotr and Warren behind him.

"Mystique gone in already?" the ice mutant asked. John nodded.

"Yeah," he sighed again. "Now we just wait…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

John's attention was grabbed away from staring at the ground by the all too familiar sound of a fire alarm. The pyrokinetic leapt to his feet, the ice mutant who had sat silently by his side doing the same. Hank, Logan, Piotr and Warren quickly joined them, Pietro not far behind. There was a collective sigh of relief as the group saw Mystique walking towards them.

"I have located the route to the lower levels," the shapeshifter announced efficiently. "And we seem to be in luck – there us very little security and most of them are now outside."

Logan gave a nod, gesturing for Piotr to retrieve the younger mutants from within the jet. Quickly the young x-men disembarked, gathering wordlessly around their leaders.

"Ok. Everyone know what they're doing?" Hank looked round the group quickly but was met with nothing but nods. "Right. If you run into anyone use appropriate force to repel them but our main objective is to retrieve these four mutants. Gather as much information on them as you can – digital or paper – anything you can so we can figure out what's been done to them. Destroy what's left if you desire," Hank glanced at the Brotherhood mutants but continued quickly. "But we can be certain they will have back ups and I have every intention of reporting anything untoward to the right authorities."

"Fine," Mystique turned sharply back towards the building. "Let's get this over with then."

Quickly the gathered mutants followed Mystique towards the research base, the four team leaders and Pietro heading up the group with Hank and Logan just behind them, the youngest at the back. The shapeshifter led the ensemble into the base via a rear entrance with ease, as she had said all the security staff gathered out the front due to the fire alarm. Quickly the mutants made their way through the hallways, Piotr turning to look down at Pietro as he buzzed about quickly around John, apparently unable to maintain the same speed as the group.

"You are still scouting ahead, yes?" he queried. Pietro zipped in front of them again, walking backwards alongside Mystique.

"By the time you guys get to the end of the first corridor, I'll be done with my search," he held out his arms and gave a slight shrug. "The…"

"Pietro!"

Fire blasted past Pietro and Mystique, ice not far behind as a group of soldiers appeared in front of them, guns trained. The sounds of metal on metal rang through the corridor as Piotr covered those around him in his impenetrable metal casing, bullets flying past them as Logan and Mystique dove forward. John and Bobby cut off their torrent of fire and ice, concentrating instead on shielding the mutants behind them. Finally the dust settled, an eerie silence falling.

"Everyone ok?" Logan reappeared from round a corner, Mystique in tow, looking quickly over the group. Piotr peeled back his metal cover, those who had been shielded giving a quick shake at the feeling but no-one seemed to be hurt. Tommy – who had been at the front of the younger group behind the team leaders and had been subject to Piotr's shielding – leant down and picked up a bullet that had bounced off him.

"Haven't seen a real bullet before," he commented apprehensively, used only to the ones in the danger room that while they seemed real enough at the time, deep down you always knew they couldn't harm you. Bobby opened his mouth to offer reassurance but it was John's voice that spoke up first.

"Bet you haven't seen a real cure dart either."

The group turned to look to where the fire mutant stood with Pietro, the latter of the two looking distinctly disorientated and even slightly scared.

"Pietro," Mystique stepped forward, looking the other mutant in the eye before sighing quietly and stepping back. "Go back to the jet."

"No!" the blonde shook his head fiercely but stopped quickly, holding his head instead. "I'm fine! I just… I…"

"You're clearly disorientated," Mystique replied calmly. "It will take you a while to get used to our speed – or lack of. Go and look after the jet – you were going to do so after your search anyway."

"_After _my search," Piotr objected meekly.

"A search you can no longer perform," Mystique stated matter-of-factly. "Go back to the jet."

Logan – who had simply stood and silently watched the Brotherhood exchange – turned his attention back to the rest of the mutants.

"Was anyone else hit? It might not feel obvious at first depending on your power."

The group fell silent again as some of the younger mutants checked they could still use their powers but it was one of the older mutants who spoke up.

"Well I wasn't gonna be using my wings underground anyway," Warren shrugged with a wry smile. Hank, standing a little off to the side, took a deep breath as he saw the two holes in the back of Warren's uniform where his wings _should _have protruded.

"We should get moving," the ambassador sighed. "I do not doubt they have back up on the way and we are now searching blind."

John curled his lip up slightly, bowing his head briefly as he rued the loss of Pietro. Of course he had planned that his group would be the one to go and retrieve Jamie…

"Does everyone still have their communicators?" Logan asked, continuing as they all nodded. "Stay in touch – you find someone you let everyone know and if you need any of us three," he gestured to Mystique and Hank. "We'll be able to track you. Now everyone just _be careful_…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

John frowned heavily as he glanced sideways at the young mutant walking alongside him.

"Are you sure you're ok?" he asked. Tommy smiled reassuringly, wiping away a little bit of blood that still oozed from the wound on the side of his forehead.

"I'm ok," he nodded, not for the first time since their latest scuffle.

"Well if you get dizzy at all tell me," the fire mutant insisted as he opened the next door in the seemingly never ending corridor which they walked down, scowling as they found yet another empty room. Tommy arched an eyebrow, catching the older mutant's eye. "What?" John shrugged defensively. "I don't want Logan ripping me limb from limb 'cause I let something happen to one of the x-munchkins."

"Ah, I see," Tommy nodded. The pyrokinetic scowled at the smirk on the younger mutant's lips, opening the next door. He almost did a double take as he saw a figure lying on a table in the middle of the room, so used was he to finding the rooms empty. Quickly he led his team into the room, flipping open the cell phone type communicator the x-men had given him.

"I've found one," the fire mutant looked over the unconscious mutant, unable to help but curse silently at the fact it wasn't Jamie but the feeling was quickly replaced with concern as he took in the captive mutant's young features, his bruised cheek, his black eye… "It's the kid – Cayden," his gut tightened in a knot as he looked at all the wires and machines hooked up to the youngster, the only one that gave him any hope being the one that appeared to be his heart rate, which appeared to be steady although the fire mutant knew that was not his area of expertise. "I'm gonna need some help here."

"I'm closest," Hank's voice drifted back through the communicator. "I'm on my way."

John closed the cell phone and sighed heavily. Next to him Tommy took a deep breath as he looked over the captive purple haired mutant.

"He's our age," he commented, as much to himself as anyone else. John nodded ruefully, turning to the other two mutants in his team.

"You go keep watch," he pointed the first one to the door, turning to the second and Tommy, gesturing to the nearby computers and paperwork. "Go and see if there is anything of use to us in there. But if you're not sure about anything on the computers _leave it_. I don't know what's hooked up to what in here."

The young team nodded and obediently followed the fire mutant's instructions, John himself heading to a nearby computer after giving the captive mutant another quick check over, keeping one eye on the door at all times. He jumped slightly as a shadow appeared in the doorway, bracing himself for action despite the guard he had placed there but he relaxed quickly as Hank entered the room.

"Oh my stars…" the ambassador paused, his eyes widening in horror as he looked at Cayden. Quickly he shook his head and turned to John. "Have you established what they are doing to him?"

"I think so…" the fire mutant frowned slightly, gesturing to the open file on his computer screen. "I think they're trying to generate electricity off of him."

"What?" Hank quickly leant over John's shoulder and read the file. "Good…God… They are."

"What do you mean they're generating electricity off of him?" Tommy asked.

"His power appears to be some kind of kinetic energy," Hank explained. "It would seem that while they have him sedated they are using different methods of stimulation and monitoring how much power he produces and seeing if it can be converted to electricity. And apparently some of it can."

"That's …" Tommy frowned heavily as he looked over the unconscious mutant strapped to the nearby table. "I mean that's just…"

"We're going to have to be careful unhooking him," Hank offered the young mutant an understanding smile but was keen to press on. He opened his mouth to continue but paused as his and John's communicator's beeped.

"We have the girl," Warren's voice drifted into the room. "She's dazed and confused but her wounds seem superficial. We'll wait for you all just upstairs in case anyone needs us."

Hank gave a small nod of acknowledgement and turned to John.

"Can you get as much of the information on that computer saved as possible? I'll start trying to untangle some of these wires."

John nodded and set about copying files, swallowing back the disappointment and unease that it was not Jamie that was found. Still, by the sounds of it at least one of the captives was in relatively good health. The group worked in silence for several minutes but everyone stopped as Piotr's voice drifted over the communicators.

"Hey… can I get some help here? Mystique are you close?"

Even ignoring the words everyone could sense the unease in the Russian's usually calm voice. Before anyone else could John snapped up his cell phone.

"What's wrong?"

There was a short silence.

"I've found one of the guys," Piotr replied somewhat carefully. "But there's nothing here to ID him."

"I'm on my way," Mystique interjected but John was no less concerned.

"Pete… please," he pleaded quietly. "What's going on?"

Again there was a short pause before Piotr sighed quietly.

"He's in a body bag."

John's arm dropped, his hand loosely dangling his cell phone by his side.

"Describe him," Mystique said quickly.

"He's… fairly tall," Piotr relied uneasily. "Dark hair, no obvious markings on him…"

John closed his eyes tightly, nausea sweeping through him in great waves.

"I'm on my way," Mystique repeated but her tone sounded resigned. Tommy and Hank exchanged a concerned look over the fire mutant but before either could offer any words of reassurance another voice filtered through the communicators.

"I have Jamie," Bobby said quickly, bringing his tone down slightly to add solemnly. "Pete, you must have Jason Fox."

John let out the breath he didn't realise he had been holding. A relieved smile pulled quickly onto his lips as he looked down at the cell phone in his hand but just as quickly it faded again.

"How is he?" he asked urgently, the nausea returning as once again he was met with a pause.

"He's badly beaten and he seems confused but he is conscious – albeit only just I think," the ice mutant finally replied. "He is hooked up to a lot of monitors, I wouldn't mind a hand."

John looked straight to Hank, the ambassador in turn looking over Cayden.

"He is all detached from the machines," he turned back to John then Tommy. "Are you sure you'll manage yourselves?"

"We'll be fine," John insisted, Tommy offering him a nod of reassurance. With a quiet sigh and a quick nod of his own Hank hurriedly left the room. Tommy glanced at the pyrokinetic across the room.

"You ok?" he asked tentatively. John scowled, shrugging dismissively.

"Sure," the fire mutant made his way forward towards the unconscious young mutant on the table. He stretched over to move a strap away from the other side of the table but quickly pulled back, crying out in pain and clasping his side. Tommy dove forward but was shrugged off. "I'm fine!"

"Yeah you look it," Tommy muttered, ignoring the murderous glare the pyrokinetic shot him, more concerned by the fact the older mutant had paled significantly. Pulling John's hand away from his side he lifted the fire mutant's leather jacket, his eyes widening in horror. "You're bleeding!"

"It's just a scratch," John scowled, shrugging off the younger mutant again and clamping his hand back on his side. "A scratch I just made angry."

Tommy looked from John to Cayden in despair.

"When did that happen?"

"One of those first bullets came a little close for comfort when Pietro and Warren were cured," John took a sharp breath as he tried to move again but was forced to stay still. Tommy's eyes widened.

"You were _shot_? When we _got here_?"

"It just grazed me," the fire mutant took several more deep breaths and looked determinedly at Cayden. "Right, let's get him outa here."

"Oh no you don't," Tommy quickly reached and grabbed the fire mutant's cell phone from where it hung on his belt, ducking out of arms reach and flipping it open. "Logan? We need some help…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Warren tapped his fingers anxiously against his crossed arms as he stood at the end of the corridor that would lead them back up the stairs to the upper level from which they entered the building. He breathed a sigh of relief as Logan walked briskly round the corner, carrying what appeared to be the youngest of the three male hostages. His relief turned to a frown quickly however as two younger mutants rounded the corner, followed by Tommy who seemed to be struggling to holding up John.

"Here... let me help," Warren dove forward and took John from Tommy, noticing the fire mutant was holding his other side. Logan quickly looked around.

"We're the first back?"

"Yeah," Warren nodded, letting go of John and letting the fire mutant lean against the wall as he continued to object to being helped. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing," John muttered. Tommy rolled his eyes.

"He got shot."

"It's a scratch!" John insisted, turning to show a hole in his jacket. "Look, bullet just grazed me as it past."

Warren arched an eyebrow at the blood just visible on the pyrokinetic's dark T-shirt but did not argue. John closed his eyes, taking several deep but quiet breaths. Now that they had stopped moving and the adrenaline was dying down his side was really starting to hurt but the fire mutant was in no mood to admit that to the surrounding x-men. His eyes opened quickly again upon hearing footsteps approach but bowed his head solemnly as Piotr and Mystique led their group round the corner, the Russian carrying the filled body bag. Mystique made her way straight to stand next to John.

"Seems a little macabre to carry a body about but it didn't seem right to leave him," the shapeshifter commented quietly but her demeanour quickly changed as she noticed the fire mutant's pale face. "What's wrong?"

"A bullet grazed my side," the pyrokinetic admitted, knowing better than trying to argue with the other mutant but still he waved a hand dismissively. "I'm fine."

"I doubt that," Mystique frowned. "Let me see."

John grudgingly pulled back his jacket but before he could show the shapeshifter the wound more footsteps were heard coming down the corridor. Mystique rolled her eyes helplessly as the fire mutant pushed himself away from the wall to meet the last group as they rounded the corner.

"You said he was conscious!" John frowned heavily, looking at the limp body Hank carried.

"He's slipping in and out," Hank replied quickly, looking around the group, frowning slightly as he noticed it was Logan who carried Cayden but didn't query it as overall the group seemed ok. "Let's get back to the jet then."

The ambassador made his way forward to where Logan stood, the two males leading the way up the stairs, both still carrying their respective unconscious mutants. Mystique caught up quickly with the two, Piotr and Warren not far behind. Bobby held back as the younger mutants followed, frowning concernedly as John leant against the wall, letting Hank walk away with Jamie without even trying to keep up.

"Come on then," the ice mutant coaxed gently, knowing better than to ask what was wrong and set the pyrokinetic on the defensive. John looked up briefly and met Bobby's eye before giving a nod, taking a deep breath as he stepped away from the wall, falling in step with the cryokinetic. At the front of the group Logan frowned slightly as he surveyed his surroundings.

"Haven't seen a soldier for a while," he commented. Hank took an uneasy breath.

"No…"

Logan arched an eyebrow and continued down the corridor, pausing at the door that would lead them back out to the outside and to their well hidden blackbird jet, exchanging a quick look with Hank and Mystique. The shapeshifter gave a small nod and pushed open the door, Hank and Logan right behind her as she stepped outside, all three quickly scanning their surroundings. Deciding it was safe they gestured for the rest to follow.

"Something's not right…" Logan grumbled, frowning as they rounded a corner of the building, the words no sooner out his mouth when the group stopped dead, not for the first time that day staring down a row of gun barrels.

"Ambassador?" the most senior looking of the group of soldiers frowned heavily as he looked at Hank from the back of the group. Mystique arched an eyebrow.

"Friends of yours Dr McCoy?"

Hank took a deep breath.

"This is General Ruben, head of military medical research and the gentleman next to him is Major Hobbs, who kindly showed me around on my last visit," Hank gave each soldier a nod, gesturing to the mutants behind him. "Gentlemen, these are some friends of mine."

The General arched an eyebrow.

"Now that the introductions are over with perhaps you could offer us an explanation?"

Hank returned an even look.

"Perhaps _you _could explain why there are four mutants here who have been reported missing by their families being experimented on in underground levels that certainly were not included in my tour?"

The General blinked rapidly.

"Lower levels?" he frowned and turned to the man next to him, bristling as his underling bowed his head. General Ruben looked over the two battered, unconscious mutants behind held by Hank and Logan and then to the body bag Piotr carried. Taking a deep breath he looked back to Hank. "Soldiers, stand down," he gave Hank a quick nod. "On your way Ambassador. And I trust there will be a report on my desk in the coming days?"

"As soon as I am satisfied these mutants have received all the medical assistance they require," Hank confirmed with a nod of his own, continuing to make his way to the jet. Logan and Mystique held back, creating a small barrier between the soldiers and the young mutants who followed Hank. Finally they too turned and made their way to the jet, taking up the rear of the group with John and Bobby, the latter now holding his companion up as they walked as quickly as they could towards the Blackbird, none of the mutants wanting to hang around longer than was absolutely necessary…

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

… …

… …

_What the…_

_Oh God my head hurts…_

"Is everyone on board?"

_Who the hell was that?_

_Open your eyes and see!_

_Too tired…_

"We're all here."

_And who's that?_

"Then let's just get the hell outa here."

_Was that Mystique?_

Blearily Jamie opened his eyes, blinking rapidly to try and clear his blurry vision. His gaze fixed on the blue form of Mystique, his stomach giving a flutter as he dared to hope the ordeal was over. Then he remembered the strangers that had come into his room.

_Bobby Drake._

…_Iceman…_

The multiplying mutant tried to open his mouth – tried to make a sound but his whole body felt heavy and numb. He closed his eyes briefly before opening them again, his vision more focused this time as he looked at Mystique – and then to the mutant next to her.

_John!_

_Thank God he's ok…_

_Oh yay…_

_Oh you shut up…_

_Well he has got his arm around some other guy._

… …

… …

_That's…but…_

Once again the multiplying mutant tried to speak but still his whole body ached. All he could manage was a small groan as the darkness returned, heard by no-one as those near enough to hear all focused on the blood that Jamie had not noticed oozing from the fire mutant…


	7. Safe

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note:** I predict some squee-ing…

**Chapter Seven: Safe**

"I'm _fine_!" John insisted as he was ushered into one of the mansions medical labs, looking back over his shoulder helplessly as Jamie was carried into another one.

"No you're not," Bobby replied simply, directing John to the nearby bed. "Just let Marie look you over _then _you can go and see Jamie."

"_What_?" the fire mutant looked suspiciously at Marie as she approached. The female offered him a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry – I've trained as a nurse."

John curled his lip up slightly but never-the-less he relented, allowing Marie to remove his jacket and t-shirt.

"Well this is just a little weird," he muttered, sitting half naked flanked by Bobby and Marie. The ice mutant laughed softly as Marie inspected the wound on John's side.

"It's not too deep. I should just be able to clean it and put a few stitches in," she looked from the bloody t-shirt back to the pyrokinetic. "Have you lost a lot of blood?"

The fire mutant started to shake his head but sighed quietly as he felt Bobby's gaze on him.

"I lost a bit," he admitted reluctantly. Marie nodded.

"I'll transfuse you a pint of blood too then," she glanced up at the fire mutant seriously. "You've been really lucky John. Just a fraction further to the side and this could have been _really _serious."

John just shrugged slightly as Marie made her way over to the nearby counter, gathering up swabs and antiseptics to clean out the wound. John arched an eyebrow as she turned back round, the bump on her stomach now quite visible.

"Congratulations by the way," he said, gesturing to said bump as Marie frowned in confusion. "On the baby."

"Oh…" Marie blinked slightly in surprise. "Thank you," she sat down next to the fire mutant. "Now brace yourself… this will sting…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Ororo shook her head helplessly as she looked down at the young mutant on the bed before her.

"He's just a child," she sighed heavily, looking to Hank. "How could anyone do this to a child?"

Hank shook his head.

"I do not know," he too sighed. "Thankfully he seems mostly unharmed – just a few bruises and a couple of burn marks which appear to be from electricity backfiring onto him but other that that we just have to wait until the sedative wears off."

Ororo nodded.

"What of the others?"

"Kayla is doing fine now she's settled, she's resting now. I'm just away to do another check on Jamie but so far it seems his wounds are superficial."

"Good," Ororo inhaled apprehensively. "Do we have any idea what happened to Jason? Or a better idea what they've been doing to any of them?"

Hank shook his head solemnly.

"We only really know what they've been doing to Cayden. We didn't have time to study the files there. We've taken blood from all four to run a tox-screen and once the three are settled Mystique and I will have a more thorough search through the material."

Ororo nodded, opening her mouth to continue but shutting it as there was a soft knock, the door easing open.

"Hi, sorry to bother you," Tommy hovered in the doorway. "I was just wondering how Cayden was?"

"He's doing fine," Hank smiled reassuringly, gesturing for the younger mutant to come in. "We're just waiting for the sedative to wear off."

Tommy nodded, bowing his head slightly.

"I was just thinking… I mean you guys must have tons of stuff to do so if you want someone to wait with him till he wakes up…" he shrugged sheepishly. "I mean I'd hate to wake up on my own somewhere strange, especially after…"

Ororo smiled warmly at the student.

"That is a very kind offer, but I couldn't ask you to…"

"I don't mind," Tommy interrupted. "Really."

Ororo exchanged a glance with Hank who just smiled and shrugged.

"Very well," Ororo agreed. "When he wakes up just assure him he's safe and let us know, ok?"

"Sure," Tommy nodded, making his way to the seat next to the bed. Ororo and Hank exchanged one last smile before retreating from the room, making their way instead to Jamie's, finding Mystique already there with Logan, the latter having just arrived.

"Warren and Piotr are arranging a room for Kayla," he informed the newcomers. Hank nodded and looked to Mystique.

"Pyro still being treated?"

Mystique gave a nod.

"Iceblock and the girl won't let him move until he's had a full transfusion," she curled her lip up slightly but quickly pulled on a more civil expression. "How's the child?"

"He seems fine," Ororo replied as Hank set about checking over Jamie – blood pressure, heart rate and such. "One of the students is staying with him until he wakes up."

Mystique nodded slowly but did not get the chance to verbally reply as the door opened once more.

"Pyro," the shapeshifter smiled, standing from the seat next to Jamie's bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Manhandled," John muttered, taking the seat Mystique had just vacated. He reached out and tentatively fingered the bruise on the multiplying mutant's cheek, his other hand resting gently on Jamie's arm, concern clear in his deep brown eyes. "How is he?"

Mystique could not help the slight smirk as the three x-men stayed silent, flabbergasted by what was – from John as least – a very open display of affection.

"Well this explains a lot," Logan too managed a slight smirk. Hank quickly regained his composure as John's shoulders tensed.

"He's doing fine. He has not yet regained consciousness again but I do not expect he will be out for much longer. Of course," his expression grew solemn. "We will not know fully his condition until we find out what they were doing to him."

John gave a simple nod and turned his attention back to Jamie. Mystique sighed quietly.

"Speaking of which…" the shapeshifter quickly ruffled John's hair, much to the fire mutant's chagrin. "If you need me I'll be next door studying all those files."

Again John just gave a nod. Logan glanced at the clock.

"I'm gonna go speak with Piotr's group," his lips curled up wryly. "I dare say they're a bit shook up. I'll take it we're going to be telling the family?"

Hank nodded.

"When we have a better idea what they were doing to him," he confirmed. "I want to be as honest with them as possible – they'll have a lot of questions."

Logan gave a nod, turning for the door, Mystique not far behind him, Ororo offering both a tight smile as they left. Hank finished his check up of Jamie and looked at John.

"I too will not be far away should either of you need assistance," he offered the fire mutant a parting smile as he turned towards the door. Ororo too turned to leave.

"Miss Munro."

Ororo blinked in surprise. The fire mutant didn't even call her miss Munro when he was a student there…

"John?" she turned and looked at him as he slowly clambered back to his feet.

"The kid… Cayden. How's he doing?"

"He's doing ok," Ororo nodded reassuringly. "Same as Jamie – we'll know better when he wakes up and we've read the files."

John gave a small nod.

"I eh… I spoke to his foster home. I kinda got the feeling that they reported him missing only out of obligation and that they wouldn't really be worried if they never saw him again," the fire mutant curled his lip up. "I read his file – he doesn't seem like a bad kid. He just… has had problems with his power and the other kids seem to pick on him so he retreats into his shell. I think he just needs to be somewhere that _understands _him and..."

Ororo couldn't help the faint smile that pulled on her lips.

"Sounds familiar."

John bristled defensively.

"Maybe we should just cut out the middle man and take him away with us when we leave then," he grumbled. Ororo held up a hand quickly, finger pointed, her smile fading as she shook her head.

"Oh no. I don't make the same mistake twice."

John looked back at his former teacher and couldn't help but bow his head guiltily.

"We'll leave him here then," he relented quietly. Ororo allowed the smile back onto her lips.

"We'll look after him," she assured him. John gave a small nod.

"Cool," the fire mutant sat back down as Ororo once again turned to leave. "Oh, apparently he prefers to be called Jinx."

"I'll bear that in mind," Ororo smiled, glancing back at John with one last smile. "You should get some rest."

"Yeah, yeah," John waved a hand dismissively as the door shut, looking over the unconscious mutant in front of him. A quiet sigh escaped his lips as he ran his hand over Jamie's arm. "I'll rest when he wakes up…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Despite his words a couple of hours later the fire mutant was sleeping in the chair next to Jamie's bed. His brow furrowed slightly as he became aware of voices and soft noises. Slowly he opened his eyes, blinking tiredly as he focussed on Hank.

"What?" he muttered, trying to pull himself into a sitting position. His eyes widened as he glanced at Jamie and found a pair of bright blue eyes looking back at him. "Jamie?"

"Hey firebug," the multiplying mutant smiled tiredly. John returned the smile, clambering off his seat and leaning over the bed.

"Hey," he replied quietly, brushing his lips softly over Jamie's. "How you feeling?"

"Tired," Jamie admitted. "A little sore."

John nodded faintly, looking up to Hank.

"He was a little groggy when he woke up but he's fine," the doctor smiled, finishing checking Jamie's blood pressure. John scowled slightly, lightly hitting Jamie's shoulder.

"You should'a woken me up," he chastised. Jamie shrugged.

"You looked peaceful," he flinched slightly as Hank gave him an injection. "Besides," a frown pulled on his brow. "The good doctor here says you were shot."

"I was _grazed_," the fire mutant waved a hand dismissively. Jamie looked up at Hank and the two rolled their eyes.

"Well I'll leave you both in peace, I'll be back in the morning," he arched an eyebrow at each of them in turn. "Now both of you _rest_."

John gave the doctor a mock salute, Jamie just managing a faint smirk as Hank left the room. With a quiet sigh the multiplying mutant turned back to look at John.

"You should do as he says," John stroked his cheek gently. "You look exhausted."

Jamie shook his head.

"Says sleeping beauty," he looked at the fire mutant pointedly. "How are you really feeling?"

"I'm fine!" John insisted, although his expression softened. "Ok, it hurts like hell."

Jamie laughed quietly.

"Now was that so difficult?"

"Yes," John grumbled although a smile pulled on his lips. His frown returned as Jamie flinched slightly. "Really though, are you sure _you're_ ok?"

"I'm sure," Jamie nodded. "Just a headache."

John arched an eyebrow dubiously but did not argue as he sat down gently on the multiplying mutant's bed.

"Can you remember anything?" he asked quietly. "You know, what they were doing to you?"

"No…" Jamie shook his head. "I woke up a few times but all I remember is being in pain."

John nodded slowly, concern still clear on his face even as he forced a smile and gestured to the small gap next to Jamie.

"May I?"

The multiplying mutant laughed quietly, shuffling over tentatively, smiling as John carefully clambered onto the bed next to him, fitting comfortably into the older mutants arms.

"I thought…" the fire mutant took a deep breath. "I thought you were gone. I mean… part of me thought that maybe you had just got fed up of my bullshit and left but then when we found out where you were and the damned x-men wouldn't help us and then when they did we found one of the other guys dead and we didn't know who it was at first and…"

"Hey…" Jamie interrupted, squeezing the fire mutant's shoulder, rubbing his back gently. "Its ok… we're safe now."

John sighed quietly and nodded, a short silence falling before he spoke up again.

"I do love you," he said quietly, almost in a whisper. "I know I don't tell you that enough…but I do, I just want you to know that."

Jamie couldn't help but smile, tightening his grip on the younger mutant as much as their injured bodies would allow.

"You do tell me, just… in your own little ways," he leant down and captured the fire mutant's lips as he raised his head to query. "I love you too. Now do as the doctor said and rest."

John arched an eyebrow but settled back down, resting his head carefully on Jamie's bare chest.

"You rest too," he ordered lightly. "Good night."

"Night," Jamie smiled, continuing to stroke John's back as the fire mutant fell into a peaceful slumber. Jamie however remained awake, his head buzzing with too many thoughts – voices really – to even think about sleeping.

_Just SHUT UP!_

_Oh come on, you know that never works!_

_Besides you'd be lonely without us._

_I really wouldn't…_

_Do you realise how soft you've become by the way? Since you met the pyromaniac?_

_Oh don't start…_

_Just saying…_

_Well don't. Just shut up._

_Or what?_

_Ugh. I just need to duplicate a few times. That'll get rid of you all._

_Will it? _

_Don't know why you're so bothered anyway…_

_You mean other than the fact we don't want the boyfriend to find out we really are crazy?_

_We're not crazy! And we're not we!_

_Oh but we are._

… …

… …

_Not us you have to worry about anyway…_


	8. First Sign of Trouble

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note:** No squees for Jinxy? I'm upset… Anyway. Can't remember what history I've given John and Bobby exactly but can we just say that they have met a few times since Alcatraz and have either argued or simply exchanged words but have not made friends. Jamie has never met Bobby but would have heard plenty of bitching and stories from John. Also again I wish to apologise if I use the name Piotr instead of Pietro – I did it at least once that I noticed so hopefully that was it…

**Chapter Eight: First Sign of Trouble**

Ororo raised her hand to her mouth to hide the yawn she could not help escape her lips. Offering an apologetic smile to the mutants gathered in her office – the Professor, Hank, Mystique and Logan – she looked first to Hank.

"How is everyone this morning?"

"They are doing well," Hank nodded. "Both Jamie and Cayden woke last night, a little confused at first but they soon calmed. They were a little groggy this morning but again it passed."

"Good," Ororo smiled, turning to Logan. "How were the kids last night? Piotr's group?"

"A little shaken but Piotr managed to keep them from seeing too much," Logan replied. Ororo gave a small sigh of relief, leaning back in her chair.

"And how are Warren and Pietro?"

"Warren's fine," Logan shrugged.

"Pietro's gone to see John and Jamie then he's outa here," Mystique screwed up her nose slightly. "I've been in touch with Erik."

Ororo, Hank and Logan all looked a little confused but the Professor spoke up before anyone could verbalise their queries.

"Ok then. So what do we know?"

"Unfortunately the files regarding Jason were wiped before we got there, likely following his death," Hank sighed helplessly. "We have not been able to retrieve anything of any use to us. All we can tell is that whatever they were doing to him put so much strain on his body that he had a heart attack."

"A heart attack?" Ororo closed her eyes briefly, shaking her head as there was a brief, solemn silence. "Ok. What of Cayden?"

"Well, as we knew before they were stimulating him in order to create electricity. The _ways _they stimulated him varied from causing him physical pain to mental pain, causing him anguish, exciting him," Hank shook his head. "Physically he's healthy but we will have to keep a close eye on his mental state."

Ororo nodded understandingly.

"I was going to go and see him after this meeting," she smiled faintly. "See what he thinks of staying here permanently."

"Awww… but I wanted to take him away with me," Mystique pouted but her golden eyes glistened amusedly. Ororo arched an eyebrow and the shapeshifter shook her head, regaining her more serious expression. "Fine, you keep him. I'll make do with John and Jamie."

"Speaking of whom…" Logan looked at the shapeshifter expectantly. Mystique's brow furrowed slightly.

"Jamie was pumped full of both psychotics and antipsychotics – _strong ones_. We believe he was forced to duplicate but do not know the reasons for any of it."

"Psychotics _and _antipsychotics?" Ororo frowned. Hank nodded slowly.

"I'm amazed he woke up lucid," the doctor admitted. "He seems to be healthy physically – aside from a few bruises and a need for rest – but again..."

"I'll be keeping an eye on his mental state," Mystique finished as Hank's voice trailed off. Ororo sighed quietly, running a hand through her hair.

"Well at least we have three healthy mutants..."

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

"Fucking hell!" Jamie exclaimed as he collapsed onto his bed, a dry laugh escaping his lips. "It shouldn't be that hard just to go to the bathroom."

John smiled sympathetically from his seat on the edge of the bed.

"Sore?"

"And exhausted," Jamie grumbled. Sighing wistfully he reached out and gently stroked the fire mutant's knee. "So much for ravaging you as soon as we get home."

John laughed, bowing his head sheepishly.

"Shame…" he smiled, looking back up, his fiery brown eyes lit up. Leaning over carefully he cupped his hand over the multiplying mutant's cheek but before he could get any closer the two mutants heard a knock on the door. Jamie groaned quietly as Pietro slipped into the room, earning a gentle slap on the shoulder from the pyrokinetic next to him. "Hey Pietro."

"Hey…" the blonde offered both mutants a meek smile, shutting the door behind him. "Just thought I'd come and see how you both were before I left."

"You're leaving?" John frowned. Pietro screwed up his nose.

"Magneto's been in touch with Mystique," he grumbled. "I'm getting the hell outa here."

"You know that Magneto was cured once too right?" John pointed out quietly. Pietro scoffed.

"And?" he shook his head and looked back at the two. "So – how you both feeling?"

"We're both fine," John replied, ignoring the face Jamie pulled. "He's tired. And grumpy."

"I'm not grumpy," Jamie grumbled, closing his eyes and settling back down into his pillow. John rolled his eyes and offered Pietro a smirk, the blonde managing a quiet laugh.

"So…" John frowned concernedly. "How are _you _feeling?"

Pietro screwed up his face.

"Weird," he admitted. "I'm kinda getting used to your pace though."

"You'll be back to normal in no time," John smiled re-assuringly.

"Yeah, here's hoping," Pietro sighed, pulling a face and gesturing back towards the door. "Anyway, I should get going."

John clambered from the bed, narrowly evading Jamie's hand as he tried to grab him and pull him back.

"Where you going to go?" the fire mutant asked. Pietro shrugged.

"I'll find somewhere," he replied casually. John frowned slightly but did not press the matter.

"Well keep in touch this time yeah?" he smiled. Piotr returned the smile with a faint nod.

"Yeah," he looked over the pyrokinetic's shoulder to the multiplying mutant still lying in his bed. "Goodbye Jamie."

"Bye…" the older mutant muttered. Pietro gave John one last smile, giving a nod as he turned and exited the room. John frowned concernedly at the door for a moment before taking a deep breath and turning back towards Jamie.

"You are such a green eyed monster!" the fire mutant rolled his eyes as he reclaimed his seat on the bed. Jamie opened his mouth to argue but closed it again with a conceding sigh.

"I just don't like the way he looks at you," the multiplying mutant grumbled. John couldn't help the faint smile that pulled on his lips.

"Well he can look all he wants," he arched an eyebrow, leaning over the older mutant, resting a hand on his chest. "There's only one mutant allowed to touch…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

A quiet moan escaped Jamie's lips as soft sounds drifted into his sleep, stirring him from his peaceful slumber. Blearily he opened his eyes, blinking to try and focus on the source of the noise. Even with his blurry vision he made out the back of John's figure, the fire mutant standing against his bed talking to another male Jamie did not recognise. Frowning faintly he closed his eyes for a moment, reaching out and running his fingers down John's arm as he opened them again.

"Hey…" the fire mutant turned and looked down at Jamie, smiling warmly. "How you feeling?"

"Tired…" Jamie admitted as he pulled himself into a sitting position, waving away John's objections. The pyrokinetic rolled his eyes slightly but did not object further. He pushed himself away from the bed, gesturing between Jamie and the mutant he had been talking to.

"Bobby you've already kinda met Jamie, Jamie...this is Bobby Drake."

"Hi..." Bobby offered the older mutant a meek smile, giving him a small, almost apprehensive wave.

_Bobby Drake..._

_Iceman..._

_Shut up..._

"The infamous Iceman," Jamie managed to return a civilised smile, giving the ice mutant something akin to a small salute. "Hi."

"Bobby was just down checking up on how we were doing," John explained, glancing apprehensively between his boyfriend and the former friend who had once almost killed him. The former friend who on more than one occasion the boyfriend had threatened to hurt, maim, kill…

"Ok," the multiplying mutant nodded, still trying to make himself comfortable as a silence fell over the room. A small sigh of relief escaped John's lips as there was a knock on the door. Quickly John made his way over to the door.

"Hey Miss Munro," he stood back to let the teacher into the room.

"John," Ororo smiled, entering the room and offered a nod to the other two occupants. "Jamie… Bobby," she turned her attention back to John. "I was wondering if you could do me a favour and talk to Cayden? Sorry… _Jinx_. I thought we'd convinced him to stay but…"

"Sure, I'll go through later," John nodded. Ororo pulled a face.

"Actually… well he's a bit agitated right now so…"

Jamie laughed quietly as John glanced apprehensively between him and Bobby.

"On you go," the multiplying mutant reached out and stroked the pyrokinetic's arm, adding in a whisper; "I won't hurt him."

John smiled and nodded, giving Bobby a parting nod as he followed Ororo from the room. Bobby watched the two go, taking a deep breath as he turned back to look at Jamie.

"So… you're feeling better then?" he asked tentatively.

"Yeah…" Jamie nodded, unable to stop the smirk spreading onto his lips. "You know… I always thought that if we ever met I'd be really wanting to hurt you."

Bobby laughed uneasily, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I can imagine…" he dropped his gaze briefly but looked back up quickly. "I've never meant to… I never _want _to fight with him."

Jamie nodded slowly.

"I'm sure you don't," the multiplying mutant took a deep breath. "Look Drake, I just wanted to say thanks. John says you two had a chat when I was still missing and… you know… he just needs someone to listen to him sometimes. Understand him. So… thanks."

A faint smile pulled at Bobby's lips.

"No problem."

Again the silence returned although this time it was a little more comfortable. Never-the-less both mutants were relieved as there was another knock on the slightly ajar door, Hank this time entering the room.

"Good morning," he greeted both mutants. "Bobby, Marie is looking for you."

"Oh right, ok," Bobby nodded and looked over to Jamie. "Well I'll see you around."

"Bye," Jamie turned to look at Hank, offering out his arm without being told. The doctor's visits were too routine…

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

_You've seen them together._

_They're _friends_._

_No they're not._

_Well… they're definitely something._

_Oh shut up._

_Just saying…_

_They do have a history._

…_as enemies…_

_Not always…_

_That's history!_

_Oh come on! Would you forgive the guy who almost killed you?_

_If he was the one who saved me too then, yeah._

_Oh you shut up._

_All of you shut up!_

… …

_Just saying…_

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Bobby made his way down to the basement, heading straight for the room that was doubling as a lounge room for the visiting brotherhood mutants. He paused in the doorway as he found only one occupant in the room.

"Oh hey Jamie," the ice mutant smiled, glancing around the room as he proceeded to enter. "You've been abandoned have you?"

Jamie looked up from the seat in which he had sat, side on to the door.

"What? Oh yeah, John's gone to speak to that kid again," he replied tiredly, running a hand through his hair and closing his eyes as he gave a small shake of the head. A concerned frown pulled on Bobby's brow.

"You ok?"

There was a brief silence as Jamie closed his eyes tighter. Taking a deep breath he offered the ice mutant what appeared to be a forced smile.

"Just a headache."

Bobby nodded slowly although his concerned expression remained.

"I hear Hank's given you the all clear to leave?"

"We go tomorrow morning," Jamie confirmed. Again Bobby nodded.

"Oh well, I just came down to say goodbye but I'm sure I'll see you all before you go tomorrow," he gestured back towards the door. "I'll leave you in peace. Tell John I came by yeah?"

"Sure," Jamie replied but it sounded tight. Again Bobby frowned concernedly as the multiplying mutant raised a hand to his head, rubbing his temple and closing his eyes. He brushed the concern off with a small shake of the head and turned towards the door. After the battering the other mutant had got a headache was probably the least of his worries.

"Drake…"

"Yeah?" Bobby turned round again, letting out a sharp gasp as suddenly he found himself slammed up against the nearby wall, Jamie's fists clenching at his shirt and pushing into his chest.

"Stay. Away. From. John," the older mutant threatened. Bobby's eyes widened slightly in surprise.

"What?" he managed to croak out. "But…"

"I've seen you together," the pressure on Bobby's chest increased. "And you mess with his head," the multiplying mutant leant forward menacingly, his normally bright and vibrant blue eyes dark and menacing. "Stay away from him."

The ice mutant was thrown to the side, stumbling a little as Jamie turned and returned to his seat. For a moment Bobby just stared at the older mutant in disbelief but as no words seemed to form in his brain he turned and silently left the room.

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

John couldn't help but smile as he made his way down the basemen corridor. Finally he could take Jamie home. Well - back to the Brotherhood base at least. The fire mutant's smile faded slightly as he thought about how mush he wanted to go back to the home he and Jamie had shared, the first place in years that he had actually felt properly _at home _but Mystique was right. Its security had been compromised, it wouldn't be safe…

"Hey, you ok?" Bobby appeared suddenly in front of them. John forced the smile back onto his lips.

"Yeah, fine," he nodded. "Just thinking."

"Scary stuff," Bobby smiled, arching an eyebrow, earning a mock scowl from the fire mutant. His smile quickly faded again though. "Seriously though, is everything ok?"

"Yeah," John nodded although a frown pulled on his face as he noticed Bobby's serious expression. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Oh, no reason," the ice mutant shrugged casually although his concern obviously remained. "What about Jamie?"

"He's fine," John couldn't help but cross his arms defensively. "We're fine."

"Good…" Bobby nodded quickly, desperately trying to think how to salvage the conversation before the other mutant's mood completely turned. He did not get the chance however as a third voice joined the conversation – although it did not bring the ice mutant any relief.

"There you are," Jamie appeared behind the two, arching an eyebrow at John. "Mystique says its time to go."

John nodded, looking back to Bobby.

"The boss has spoken," he smirked. Bobby smiled faintly, glancing apprehensively at Jamie but the older mutant just laughed quietly.

"Well… goodbye then," Bobby offered both a smile, stepping back to let them pass down the corridor. John bowed his head briefly, shoving his hand in his pocket.

"Here," the fire mutant took his hand from his pocket and shoved a piece of paper in Bobby's direction. "My cell phone number's on there, you know… if you have any problems with the new kid."

"Thanks…" Bobby smiled as John just gave a nod.

"See you around Drake," the fire mutant turned and made his way down the corridor. Bobby took a deep breath and cast his eyes towards the remaining mutant, surprised to find him smiling back at him.

"In case you've forgotten Pyro language, that was an olive branch," the multiplying mutant arched an eyebrow amusedly before a more serious expression pulled on his face. "Thanks again Drake, you for looking after him. I'll maybe see you around."

"Yeah… bye…" Bobby forced a smile but couldn't stop the confused frown taking over his face as the multiplying mutant turned to follow John. That was a slight difference from the day before…


	9. Realisation Dawning

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note:** Short I'm afraid, as may be the next few chapters. Now any of you who know my writing will know that I don't write sex scenes but unfortunately there's one kinda pivotal to the plot of this chapter so hopefully it makes sense even though I haven't written the sex scene.

**Chapter Nine: Realisation Dawning**

"That woman is a slave driver," Jamie groaned as he collapsed onto the sofa with a tired sigh, wincing slightly as he did so. John smirked.

"She obviously doesn't like you as much as she likes me."

"Uh uh," Jamie grumbled, leaning his head back against the back of the sofa, closing his eyes wearily. He cringed as John's cell phone stared ringing, the unexpectedly loud noise grating on his tired brain.

"Sorry…" John grabbed his phone from the table. "Hello?"

"Hey," Bobby's voice filtered back down the line. "Just thought I'd check up on how you two are?"

"Well _I'm_ fine," John arched an eyebrow. "Jamie's grumpy."

"I am not!" the multiplying mutant muttered.

"Jamie's grumpy?" Bobby's tone seemed to grow serious. John frowned slightly.

"Yeah, Mystique's apparently picking on him," he shrugged. "How's the kid?"

"Jinx? He's fine," the ice mutant laughed quietly. "He can be a bit grumpy too."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Not the most sociable of kids. Kinda reminds me of you."

"Fuck you Iceman," John retorted but a smile pulled on his lips. Next to him Jamie opened one eye, tilting his head sideways to look at him.

_Awfully friendly those two…_

_Shut up._

"So, have you looked into getting a new house yet?" Bobby asked.

_Just saying…_

"No, not yet," John sighed faintly. "What about you? You and Marie getting your own place for when the baby comes?"

_He did have a crush on him for years_…

"Are you kidding?" Bobby laughed. "You think Logan or Ororo will let us move out with a baby on the way?"

_Who cares? That was _years _ago…_

"Some broody mutants at the mansion is there?" John smirked.

_Could'a fooled me…_

"You could say that," Bobby replied lightly. John laughed quietly, opening his mouth to reply but he shut it again as Jamie stood up.

"Just a minute Bobby…" he lowered his phone to rest again his chest, looking up at Jamie inquisitively.

"Just going for a shower," Jamie said. The fire mutant reached out and grabbed the other mutant's hand, pulling him back gently, letting go and lightly running his hand down Jamie's chest.

"I could come and join you?" he offered quietly. Jamie smiled faintly but shook his head.

"Not now," he replied simply, carefully removing the pyrokinetic's hand. John blinked rapidly but nodded and smiled, giving the older mutant a small wave as he left the room. That was an offer the multiplying mutant had never turned down…

"Sorry Bobby," he returned the cell phone he had muffled against his chest to his ear. "What were we saying?"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Pyro frowned slightly as he made his way down the cold, metal corridors of the Brotherhood base, wondering where on earth his multiplying mutant boyfriend was hiding. He hadn't seen him for hours…

Finally the fire mutant found Jamie sitting in one of the secluded rec. rooms. He pursed his lips thoughtfully before making his way apprehensively into the small room, frowning as Jamie sat in near darkness, the television off, his eyes closed, rubbing his temples wearily.

"Jamie?"

"What?" the other mutant snapped.

_Oh nice going._

_Like he's going to care._

_OH SHUT UP!_

John dropped his gaze, slightly taken aback by the normally cheerful mutant's reply. Bowing his head, he turned to leave the room.

_Idiot…_

_Stop him!_

_Let him go!_

_No! Stop him!_

_Leave him!_

_Ooo…this is fun…_

"John, wait…" Jamie ran his hands through his hair, closing his eyes tightly as he fought to control what he was saying. "I'm sorry…it's just…my head feels like it's splitting in ten here."

_I count at least twelve…_

_Oh fuck off._

John bit his lip hesitantly.

"Well, you know, Mystique should have some pretty good painkillers kicking about, I could go get…"

"They won't help," came the blunt reply.

_Be nice to him!_

_Oh don't bother._

_Like he's gonna care anyway._

_Sure he does…_

_Who the hell cares what _you _think?_

"Well, if you're sure…" John frowned slightly.

"I'm…sure…" Jamie managed to grumble.

_Go ask him to kiss it better…_

_Don't you dare!_

"Well I'll just leave you in peace then," John mumbled, turning to head out of the door.

"I wish…" Jamie muttered to himself, the voices in his head giving him anything but peace.

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

A guilty sigh escaped Jamie's lips as he leant against the doorframe, watching the fire mutant within the Brotherhood training room activate his wrist lighters angrily, flames swirling around the room in a manner that was simultaneously mesmerising and terrifying…

"John?"

The fire flared up briefly before dissipating into nothing as John jumped slightly.

"Oh… hey…" the pyrokinetic replied casually, looking up only briefly before turning away again. Jamie took a deep breath and entered the room.

"Sorry for biting your head off earlier," the multiplying mutant approached the younger male slowly. John shrugged absently.

"No big deal."

"Yeah it is," Jamie slipped an arm around the fire mutant's shoulder, ignoring his meek objections. "And I wanna make it up to you," he smirked and nuzzled his lips into John's neck. "Slowly…" soft kisses travelled up the pyrokinetic's skin. "Carefully…" Jamie's breath ghosted over John's ear, earning a soft moan. "Tenderly…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

A small yawn escaped Jamie's lips as he wandered about the kitchen the next morning, gathering up food for himself and John. He looked up startled as said mutant appeared in the doorway.

"Hey… wasn't expecting you up yet," Jamie smiled sheepishly and gestured to the breakfast he had prepared. "Was going to take this to you in bed."

"Oh right…" John smiled, albeit a little uneasily as he made his way to the table. Jamie frowned slightly as John walked slowly towards him.

"You ok?" he asked concernedly.

"I'm fine, just…" he took in a sharp breath as he sat down, flinching slightly. "Just a bit tender."

"Oh…" Jamie looked at the younger mutant sympathetically. "Your side sore again?"

"Eh…no…" the pyrokinetic rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. "I just… I mean…" he laughed uneasily. "I think you were a bit rough last night."

"What?" Jamie stopped what he was doing and looked at John in confusion. "Don't be silly, we… well…"

"It's ok," John waved a hand dismissively, forcing a quiet laugh.

_What? But we were…_

_Yeah, we weren't being rough._

_We went and met him in the training room…_

_Then we carried him through to the bedroom…_

_And we laid him on the bed…_

_Then we undressed him…_

_And then we lay down next to him and…_

… …

… …

_I can't remember._

… …

_Oh shit._

"Oh well…" Jamie forced a smile onto his lips as he leant over and took the fire mutant into a tender kiss, arching an eyebrow mischievously as he pulled away. "I seem to remember you liking it rough sometimes."

"Not _that _rough," John admitted, but never-the-less he smiled and returned the kiss. "Breakfast will make up for it."

Jamie laughed and gave a small salute, turning to finish preparing their breakfast. His smile faded quickly as he turned away from the fire mutant, a nauseating sense of dread welling up inside him.

… …

… …

_Told you it wasn't us you had to worry about…_


	10. We Need to Talk

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note:** Mmmmmm…. Reviews have dwindled. I hope that doesn't mean I've done something wrong? I know it's not turning out quite how it did in my head…

**Chapter Ten: We Need to Talk**

A reluctant groan escaped John's lips as slowly he woke from his slumber. Stubbornly he pulled his duvet over his head, shuffling over and reaching out to the other side of the bed to find… nothing. John frowned, pulling the cover back down to look at the pillow next to him, sighing as he confirmed that he had woken up alone. Again. With a heavy sigh he threw the duvet completely aside, clambering from the bed and grabbing some clothes off the nearby seat, changing quickly and making his way through to the bases kitchen.

"Hey…" he tentatively greeted the mutant already sitting at the table.

"Morning," Jamie looked up briefly, offering John a quick smile before returning his attention to his breakfast. John sighed quietly, frowning grudgingly as he took a seat opposite the multiplying mutant.

"You ok?"

Jamie looked up again at the almost inaudible query.

"Sure. I'm fine," he shrugged. John glanced at the clock.

"It's just… you were up awfully early. Again," the fire mutant screwed up his face, dropping his gaze as he subconsciously fidgeted with the ring he wore on his left hand. "And you've been coming to bed after me," his voice dropped even further as he cursed how whiny he sounded. "If we're even sharing a bed anymore."

Jamie leant back in his seat and looked at the younger mutant, guilt written all over his face although John did not look up to see it.

_See what you've gone and done?_

_It's for the best._

_How is it for the best?_

_Well you don't want…_

_SHUT UP!_

"Of course we're still sharing a bed," Jamie said reassuringly, smiling meekly as the fire mutant glanced up. "Sorry, I've just… I've not been sleeping very well."

"Well… you know you can talk to me… if something's bothering you…" John offered quietly.

_Oh he's trying so hard!_

_He shouldn't have to _try_…_

_Give him a break, you know how much his family screwed him up._

_Oh boo hoo…_

Jamie shrugged dismissively.

"It's nothing, really," he laughed wryly and gestured to his head. "Just the voices giving me grief again."

_Hey!_

_Don't blame us!_

"Oh," John's frown returned. "I thought… I mean you said they were pretty much gone."

"They were," Jamie tried to sound casual. "They've just… come back since I was tied up for so long. Really, it's nothing to worry about. They'll go away again."

_We will?_

John arched an eyebrow, not entirely convinced but nodded in conceit none the less.

"You'd tell me if it was serious though, right?"

_Ha!_

_Oh yeah, sure…_

"Of course," Jamie nodded.

_Liar._

_He'd be off in a heartbeat if he knew…_

_SHUT UP!_

John sighed quietly.

"I was looking at some new houses," the fire mutant shrugged casually. "Thought we could go have a look later?"

_What?_

_We had to twist his arm to get him house hunting first time round._

_Awwwww… he's being all grown up and mature._

_Mature? I wouldn't go that far…_

"Sounds good," Jamie nodded with a small smile. John's mood picked up slightly as Jamie seemed more positive.

"Cool. I'm just going to go and see Mystique – see if she still wants us to go and check out that base she was talking about the other night."

"Ok," Jamie smiled as the fire mutant left the room, but the smile quickly faded into a troubled sigh.

_Is that such a good idea?_

_Living alone with him when…_

_When what? Nothing's wrong._

… …

… …

_Oh shit._

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

John sighed tiredly as once again he found himself sitting alone in his bedroom. Now that he and Jamie had almost fully physically recuperated – and since they were still living in the base – Mystique was making the most of the multiplying mutant's presence, leaving the pyrokinetic on his own. Again. Leaving him with lots of spare time to ponder the older mutant's recent… _strange _behaviour…

The fire mutant was torn from his thoughts by the sound of his cell phone. He looked down at the little screen optimistically.

"Oh… hey Drake."

"Oh… hey Allerdyce," Bobby laughed. "Nice to hear from you too."

John rolled his eyes at himself, sighing quietly.

"Sorry, I thought it might be Jamie," the fire mutant apologised. "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm fine," there was a grin evident in Bobby's voice. "I just thought you might like to know who I caught making out in one of the rec rooms last night?"

"What? Are you a twelve year old girl?" John laughed. "Fine, who did you find making out last night?"

"Jinx and Tommy."

"Jinx and Tommy?" John arched an eyebrow, unable to help the faint laugh that escaped his lips. "Well that's… unexpected."

"You're telling me!" Bobby laughed. "Not what I was expecting to walk in on while I was doing my curfew check. Apparently though Tommy wasn't expecting it either."

"No?" John nodded slowly. "Well it's a good thing we broke that kid outa that hell-hole then isn't it?"

"I guess it is," Bobby replied, his smile evident in his voice. "So… who was it who made _you _realise?"

John blinked rapidly, withholding the urge to choke at the unexpected question.

"Wouldn't you like to know Iceman," the fire mutant regained his composure and smirked. Bobby laughed again.

"Well you're no fun…"

"Yeah, yeah," John rolled his eyes. "I'm still not telling you."

"Fine, you be all secretive," Bobby feigned hurt but ended up laughing again. "I'll bet it was Pete – seeing him half naked after showering after training."

"Drake!" John scowled as colour crept up his cheek. "As nice as the thought of Pete in a towel is it wasn't him now _drop it_."

"Really?" Bobby continued despite the fire mutant's warning. "But he's the only gay guy – _bi _guy – I can think of. Who do I not know about?"

John laughed dryly.

"You think I have the good fortune to only fall for gay guys?"

"Oh… awwwww…" Bobby sighed wistfully. "Unrequited first love?"

John clenched his jaw.

"Drake, drop it or I will hang up."

"Sorry," Bobby replied genuinely, accepting this time to change the subject. "Anyway. I was actually calling to see if you wanted to meet up sometime? Go for a drink or something?"

John arched an eyebrow.

"Meet up? Go for a drink with the enemy?"

"You're not the enemy," Bobby replied lightly. John laughed.

"Oh, but I am," he smirked. Bobby sighed quietly.

"You used to be my best friend John."

"_Used_ to be."

"Please John," Bobby pleaded softly. "My whole life revolves around the mansion. I live there, I work there, I hang out there, my friends all live there, my friends are Marie's freinds – I just like having something - _someone_ – that's just mine, you know?"

"Oh my God," John smirked. "Bobby Drake just said something _selfish_."

"Never mind," Bobby sighed. John shook his head.

"Really Drake, I'm just kidding. If you wanna meet up that's fine," the fire mutant frowned slightly. "Is everything ok?"

"It's fine. I just… wanna be able to admit that the thought of being a dad is terrifying without it getting back to Marie and freaking her out even more than she already is."

John laughed.

"I'm sure I can keep that from her. And I'm sure we can arrange something…" the fire mutant's eyes lit up suddenly as he realised he was not alone in the room. "But definitely not tonight. My boyfriend just got home."

"Oh well I won't keep you then. Unless you wanna give me a _hint _as to who it was that…"

"Bye Drake…" John interrupted emphatically, chuckling quietly as he hung up the phone before turning his gaze to the figure standing in the doorway, his grin widening. "Hey."

"What was that all about?" the multiplying mutant eyed John's cell phone suspiciously. John shrugged casually.

"Oh, just Iceman wanting to bitch about his sad little life," he arched an eyebrow. "And wanting to tell me that apparently that Jinx kid has turned that Tommy kid so he's now trying to figure out who made _me _realise I was gay."

Jamie screwed up his face.

"So just tell him it was him and get it over with."

"It wasn't him!" the fire mutant replied indignantly, crossing his arms defensively. Jamie scoffed quietly.

"If you say so."

John frowned slightly, his stance softened as he noticed just how agitated the older mutant seemed.

"You ok?" he asked concernedly.

"Of course I'm ok. Why would I have a problem with you always being on the phone with the guy you used to lust after in school and always seem to keep ending up back with," Jamie muttered dryly. John blinked rapidly, taken aback.

"I'm not always on the phone to him," he tried not to scowl but couldn't help it. "And I did _not _lust after him."

"What ever," Jamie muttered, curling his lip up and slipping from the room. John just sat and stared at the empty doorway before sighing quietly and running a hand through his hair helplessly. With a shake of the head he grabbed his cell phone back up off the sofa, tapping his finger impatiently against it as he dialled and waited for a reply.

"Hello?"

"Hey Drake. Change of plan – you free tonight?"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Jamie stretched his arms leisurely as he made his way down the corridor, a contented grin spreading onto his lips. He'd given Mystique his report – now it was time to go and find his sexy little fire mutant boyfriend…

"Oh, hey!" the multiplying mutant's grin widened as he spotted said pyrokinetic heading in his direction. A frown pulled on his brow as he noticed the leather jacket adorning his body. "You going out?"

"I'm going to meet Bobby for some drinks," John replied flatly. Jamie blinked at the blunt response.

"Oh. Well don't be too late yeah?" he quickly closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around the smaller mutant possessively. "I've missed you."

It was John's turn to blink.

"You… don't mind that I'm going out to meet Bobby?"

"Of course not," Jamie shrugged. "I think it's great that you have someone other than me and Mystique and…" his lip curled up disdainfully. "_Quicksilver_."

Despite himself John let out a quiet laugh.

"Green eyed monster," he smirked, knowing deep down that he should be concerned by the yet another change in mood but the fire mutant was too relieved to have _normal _Jamie back. Jamie laughed softly, leaning forward and taking the smaller mutant into a warm, affectionate kiss.

"Just cause I love ya," he smiled, leaning his forehead against the smaller mutant's.

"Love you too," John replied quietly, ignoring the anxious feeling that kept threatening to return. The multiplying mutant gave a long sigh, stepping back and releasing his lover.

"Oh well, I suppose I'd better let you go," he pouted mockingly before stealing one more quick kiss and winking. "Don't be late."

"We won't be – it is a school night," John replied lightly. Jamie nodded and smiled, giving the younger mutant a small wave as he continued on his way down the corridor. John watched him go with a quiet sigh, unable to ignore that little voice at the back of his mind any longer. With a shake of the head the fire mutant turned for the the exit. Maybe a drink would silence that voice…

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

"And I mean it's not just the labour that's terrifying," Bobby continued as John sat silently, cradling his bottle of beer with a slightly bemused smirk on his lips. "You should see how much stuff we've bought! Clothes, diapers, cradle, stroller, bottles, pacifiers, sterilisers…" the ice mutant waved his hands for emphasis. "She has more stuff than I do."

John laughed, arching an eyebrow as he took a sip of his beer.

"Should'a thought about all that before you ignored all Summers' safe sex lectures," the fire mutant smirked. Bobby smiled meekly, bowing his head briefly as colour crept up his cheeks. John chuckled, taking another drink before looking at the ice mutant earnestly. "Seriously though Drake, I think I'd be more worried if you _weren't _scared."

"Really?" Bobby looked back at him dubiously.

"_Really_," John nodded confidently. "You'll make a great dad Bobby."

The ice mutant smiled appreciatively, taking a drink from his own bottle.

"Thanks John," he paused for a moment, regarding the other mutant thoughtfully. "So what about you? Everything ok with Jamie?"

"Of course," John replied quickly. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"No reason," Bobby replied calmly, although a slight frown pulled on his brow. "I was just wondering 'cause one minute you couldn't come out tonight because Jamie was just home and then the next… you can."

"Oh… right… well yeah everything's fine…" John shrugged but a relenting sigh soon escaped his lips. "Apart from the extreme mood swings."

"Mood swings?" Bobby looked back at the fire mutant seriously.

"It's nothing really," John waved a hand but his facial expression was not in keeping with the dismissive gesture. "It was just… when he first came home he was freaking out about how much I talk to you on the phone but when I saw him next he said that it was great that we're friends again," the fire mutant sighed heavily. "It was as if he didn't even remember our first conversation."

Bobby nodded slowly.

"You said that his duplicates aren't carbon copies though right?"

John smiled dryly, shaking his head.

"These aren't dupes. I can tell the difference between the real thing and…" he sighed again. "I mean normally it's the personality that gives it away but… I can just tell. It wasn't a dupe," he looked at the ice mutant and offered him a casual shrug. "But I mean I can't blame him really for being so insecure. God knows I'm far from the perfect boyfriend."

Bobby studied the other mutant thoughtfully for a moment.

"When you were at the mansion, both of you, the first time I met Jamie he thanked me for looking after you," he said softly, taking an apprehensive breath. "The second time, he threatened me to stay away from you."

"What?" John frowned. Bobby nodded solemnly.

"Slammed me up against the wall," he shook his head slightly. "But then the day you left he thanked me again for looking after you – like nothing had happened. Now maybe I met a dupe, I doubt _I _could tell the difference like you can but…"

John took a deep breath.

"I'm sure it was just a dupe," he gave a definite nod. "Jamie wouldn't threaten you."

Bobby opened his mouth to voice the concern that remained but on studying the fire mutant he shut his mouth again. He knew when it was time to leave a discussion with John alone. The topic had been raised, he knew if he wanted the talk about it then Bobby would listen.

"Ok," he gave a conceding nod, forcing a smile onto his lips. "Oh, I almost forgot. Jinx says hi…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

John glanced at his watch as he made his way into the base, wandering down the corridor. It really wasn't that late at all. Jamie had better still be awake…

"Hey!" the pyrokinetic doubled back as he caught sight of said multiplying mutant in one of the rec. rooms. Heading into the room he slipped a hand onto Jamie's shoulder, leaning over the sitting mutant. "You rea…"

"What the…" Jamie leapt to his feet, a look of disgust on his face as he turned to look down at John. His lip curled up as he took another step back. "Don't touch me."

A knot tightened in John's stomach as he looked straight back into the other mutant's bright blue eyes.

"Jamie…"

"Look, I don't know who keeps telling everyone I'm gay," the multiplying mutant replied in an exaggerated tone. "But _I'm not_. Ok?" again his lip curled up disdainfully as he passed the fire mutant and made his way for the door. "Faggot."

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

It was almost three thirty in the morning, but still John sat on his bed, still clothed, his knees brought up to his chest, head resting on the arms wrapped around them. His fiery brown eyes were fixed on the door but he didn't really see anything. He blinked as the door finally opened.

"Here you are," Jamie smiled sheepishly, shutting the door behind him. "Sorry, I fell asleep in one of the rec. rooms waiting for you," his smile faded as he registered the fire mutant was still fully clothed. A sickening sense of dread started to build within him. "John what's wrong?"

John sighed quietly, looking back at the multiplying mutant silently for a moment before finding his voice.

"Jamie we need to talk."


	11. A Bit More Crazy

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note:** I do hope this makes sense – I managed to get myself really confused writing it but I think I sorted it out…

**Chapter Eleven: A Bit More Crazy**

Jamie took a deep breath, closing his eyes briefly before slowly making his way towards the bed, sitting down tentatively on the edge.

_Told you we couldn't hide it…_

_Shut up!_

"What have I done now?" he asked quietly – helplessly.

"Well last night when I got back and came to invite you to bed you leapt away, announced you weren't gay and called me a faggot," the fire mutant replied blandly. "When you first came back yesterday you got mad at me for being on the phone to Bobby so much and then when I see you on my way out to meet Bobby, you tell me it's a good thing we're friends again. One minute you're thanking Bobby for looking after me, the next you're threatening him to stay away from me," John took a deep breath and continued quickly. "We're having sex and to start with it's all fine and it's like I'm your boyfriend who you've known for years and then next thing I know it's like I'm some piece of meat you've picked up in a bar."

_Oh shit…_

_Told you we should'a fessed up earlier…_

_Shut up!_

"Well… you know my dupes can be completely different to me…"

"These aren't dupes Jamie, you know I can tell the difference between you and your dupes!" John snapped but his demeanour and expression softened ever so slightly as Jamie's face fell, the older mutant bowing his head guiltily and running his hands through his hair. John sighed quietly. "Jamie, tell me what's going on?"

_Are you kidding?_

_Well we can't _not _tell him._

_Sure we can. Can… _not _tell him…_

_We should'a just told him in the first place._

_He already knows about _us_…_

_Yeah, he seemed pretty cool when we told him…_

_Not quite the same._

Jamie sighed quietly but looked back up at the fire mutant.

"Well, you already know about the voices right?" he began reluctantly. "And about how they all have different… _personas_ just like my dupes. Well the voices started when I was about twelve, maybe younger, but I managed to keep it secret. Then when I turned fourteen I started…" the multiplying mutant paused, screwing up his face. Taking a deep breath he clenched his fists determinedly and continued. "My teachers started reporting _erratic _behaviour. One minute I'd be fine and the next I'd be kicking up hell. I'd get violent or moody or upset," he took another sharp breath, continuing quickly. "I started picking fights with my friends, with my family. I was asking girls out even though I already had a girlfriend. I started hitting on guys even though I hadn't figured out I was bi yet," Jamie shrugged helplessly. "And I could never remember any of it. _That's _when I was diagnosed with multiple personalities – it wasn't the voices… like I said before," the multiplying mutant looked up briefly but bowed his head again as he found that John was simply staring down at the bed. "I was put on every anti-psychotic known to man, every drug used to treat schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder but none of them worked – if anything most of them just made things worse," Jamie frowned heavily. "It definitely made the voices worse. And then when I was about seventeen I discovered I could duplicate."

"When your girlfriend slapped you?" John's brow arched questioningly. That's the story Jamie had always told – he'd said something to upset his then girlfriend, she'd slapped him and all of a sudden there was three of him. Jamie rubbed the back of his neck uneasily.

"Yeah, but she didn't slap me 'cause I said something to her," the multiplying mutant admitted. "The night before I'd blown her off and she was demanding answers which I couldn't give her cause I couldn't remember a damned thing," he smiled ruefully. "But the guy I spent the night making out with was all too happy to fill her in. Next thing I knew there was three of me… one of them still frantically trying to apologise to my girlfriend, the other trying to hit on the guy and me standing wondering what the fuck was going on."

John gave a small nod but still he did not look up.

"So… it's these alter-egos that are back?" he said slowly. Jamie nodded helplessly.

"Looks like it," he rang his hands anxiously. "I thought they'd gone John, I _swear_. When I finally got to grips with my power and learned how to duplicate at will the voices disappeared and so did the… _alter-egos_. They haven't been a problem since I was about twenty, I mean apart from the voices coming back when I've been really stressed or when I was confined when you guys broke me outa jail just before Alcatraz…" he sighed heavily, looking up at the fire mutant sadly. "I'm so sorry John. I kinda thought that they might be back after that night when I… well you know," the multiplying mutant screwed up his nose. "That night I was a bit rough with you and I couldn't remember it. But I figured it was the drugs from that institute and being confined again. I thought once the drugs wore off and once I'd duplicated a few times that it'd go away..." a heavy, resigned sigh escaped Jamie's lips as he looked helplessly at John, the fire mutant still sitting with his head bowed. "I'm sorry."

"Hey!" John sat forward suddenly as Jamie stood and turned towards the door. "Where the fuck are you going?"

Jamie turned back to face John, blinking in uncertainty.

"I eh…"

"You'll get it under control again, right?"

Jamie took a deep breath.

"I hope so."

John clambered to his knees and pulled back the bed cover.

"Then by my reckoning it's bed time," the fire mutant stated quietly but matter-of-factly as he pulled his t-shirt off, throwing it onto the floor absently. Jamie sighed wearily.

"John I can't ask you to put up with… them."

"You don't have to ask," John shrugged, looking up at Jamie earnestly before pointing a finger at him accusingly. "Although if you call me a fag again I will kick your ass."

Jamie laughed softly.

"Tell me that I've done it and _I'll_ kick my ass," he replied quietly. John sighed and offered him a meek smile.

"You're lucky you have such a pretty face – the last person who called me that ended up with seventy percent third degree burns."

Jamie looked back at John, his bright blue eyes wide and honest.

"I'm so sorry John," he dropped his gaze guiltily. "I never meant to hurt you."

"You haven't _hurt _me," John shrugged slightly although his eyes were not so convincing. "Nothing I won't get over anyway. Now come on, it's almost four, can we just go to bed?"

Jamie closed his eyes briefly.

"What if they don't go away John?" he looked back up helplessly. "I should have it under control by now."

John took a deep breath, his determined expression faltering slightly.

"We'll cope," he shrugged. Jamie shook his head.

"I don't want to keep hurting you."

John sighed helplessly, running a hand through his hair, slumping back down to his knees on the bed.

"Why the hell didn't you just tell me all this earlier?"

Jamie smiled ruefully.

"I was kinda hoping to _not_ have to tell you just how crazy I really am," he confessed. John smirked.

"Oh I knew you were well crazy the first night you crept into my bedroom," the fire mutant arched an eyebrow, earning a faint laugh from Jamie.

"Best decision I ever made," the older mutant smiled. John returned the smile.

"Then stick with that decision," he reached out and tugged on Jamie's t-shirt. "Come to bed."

_Not a good idea._

_He said it's fine!_

_He doesn't understand…_

"Don't listen to them!" John lightly slapped the multiplying mutant's chest, recognising the distracted look in his boyfriend's eyes. "Listen to _me_," he remained on his knees but pulled himself up to Jamie's level, looking him in the eye and offering him a reassuring smile before pulling him into a quick but tender kiss. "Come to bed."


	12. Calm Before the Storm

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note:** Short, I know and perhaps a tad pointless but hopefully it works. The next couple of chapters will probably be even shorter but that just means I get them posted quicker! (or _should _get them posted quicker…)

**Chapter Twelve: Calm Before the Storm**

"Oh my God – we _really _need to find a place of our own," Jamie groaned as he collapsed onto the sofa next to John the following afternoon, sprawling out leisurely and closing his eyes. "Somewhere far, _far _away from Mystique and her damned training room."

"Oh, I see…" John feigned hurt, crossing his legs as he sat side-on on the sofa, facing Jamie. "So _that's _the real reason you wanted to move in with me is it? To get away from Mystique?"

Jamie smirked, opening one eye lazily to look at the fire mutant.

"Yup," he nodded, closing his eye again. John sighed wistfully.

"And here I was thinking it was because you loved me."

"Ha!" Jamie laughed, unable to keep the smile from lingering on his lips. "I'm not _that _crazy."

"Oh, right…" John chuckled, nodding slowly before suddenly clambering across the sofa to straddle the taller mutant's lap. Jamie's eyes sparkled in amusement but overall he maintained a composed expression.

"Why do _I _always get dragged to training but you get so sit and watch TV?" he complained. John smirked, leaning forward, pressing his body against Jamie's.

"Because _she _loves me," the pyrokinetic stated matter-of-factly, planting soft kisses up Jamie's neck. "Even if you don't."

Jamie gave a small shrug to cover up the shiver that ran through him as John's warm breath ghosted over his ear.

"Well someone has to," he commented absently, although he instinctively put his hands on the fire mutant's sides, slipping them under his top onto his boyfriend's bare skin. "And who else other than mommy Mystique?"

John arched an eyebrow, giving a small, conceding nod before gently wrapping his lips around Jamie's.

"You know…" he maintained his casual tone even as he continued to brush his lips over Jamie's. "I've always thought of her more like a big sister."

"Oh no," Jamie replied in between the increasingly heated kisses. "She definitely has the maternal kick when it comes to you."

"You really think so?" the fire mutant asked, but there was the hint of a crack in his voice. Jamie inhaled sharply, his own calm exterior fading.

"Yeah…" was all he managed to reply, unable to keep the quiet groan from escaping his lips as he returned the other mutant's passionate kisses, running his hands up and down the pyrokinetic's back.

"Jamie…" finally John's cool voice was completely gone, replaced with a tone that was simultaneously pleading and commanding. The multiplying mutant responded instantly, hoisting the smaller male up as he himself stood. Lowering John to the ground Jamie grinned wickedly and grabbed his arm.

"Come with me…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

A quiet laugh escaped John's lips when he finally managed to catch his breath almost two hours later.

"Well Mystique obviously didn't _completely _tire you out," he commented. Jamie smirked, wrapping his arms firmly around the fire mutant lying on his chest.

"Oh, I always manage to find a reserve of energy when you're naked," he replied simply. John chuckled quietly.

"And here was me thinking you'd gone off me."

"Why would you think that?" Jamie frowned slightly. John screwed up his face.

"Well, what would you have thought if _I_ started acting all distant and avoided being left alone with you and would barely touch you?"

Jamie sighed guiltily.

"I'm sorry," the older mutant gently ran his fingers up John's back. John shrugged slightly.

"Well I know different now," he looked at Jamie seriously. "I'm glad you told me."

"Me too," Jamie admitted, his eyebrow arching mischievously. "As you may have noticed."

"You are definitely more… _relaxed_," the fire mutant smirked.

Jamie laughed, running his hands down John's back.

"That's one way of putting it…" he smiled.

"You know, _that_ is why we need to find our own place," he stated. Jamie frowned slightly.

"What?"

"Well if we didn't have to worry about Mystique or Magneto walking in…" John grinned and ran his fingers over Jamie's bare chest. "Then you could have just taken me on the sofa."

"Oh, I do miss sofa sex," Jamie sighed. "And bathroom sex… and kitchen sex… and in front of the fire sex…"

John laughed softly, crossing one arm across Jamie's chest, resting his head on it as he focused on the multiplying mutant's torso, absently running his spare hand loosely over Jamie's skin.

"Well… you're the one who keeps putting off getting our own place," he pointed out quietly. Jamie took a deep breath.

"I just thought it was best while I was…" he waved a hand loosely at his head.

"What difference will it make if we're here or on our own?" the fire mutant shook his head as Jamie did not reply. "I think it's more reason to move out. I mean never mind Magneto or Mystique walking in on us having sex… if they find out about…" it was John's turn to wave loosely at Jamie's head. "You know what they can be like. Might be best to keep it between us."

The multiplying mutant bit his lip, looking back at John thoughtfully.

"Yeah, I guess…" he admitted. John gave a definite nod.

"Then get your ass in gear and find us a new house," he settled his head back onto Jamie's chest.

"Yes boss," Jamie laughed but his smile faded slightly. "Although… you know… if this doesn't go away then… I mean…"

John raised his head again to look down at the multiplying mutant.

"It'll go away."

"But _if_ it doesn't…" Jamie insisted. "You need to tell me if it's not working ok? We need to deal with it."

John took a deep breath, curling his lip up slightly but never-the-less he nodded.

"_If _it doesn't go away… maybe Hank or the professor can help," he conceded reluctantly. Jamie closed his eyes briefly but nodded in agreement.

"They're probably the best people to go to."

John forced a smirk back onto his lips, crawling up to bring himself level with the other mutant's lips.

"I don't know what you're so worried about though," he commented absently, stealing a quick kiss. "You've already called me a fag and got away with it. What's the worst that can happen?"


	13. Harmless

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note:** A bit pointless this one but just need to show some time passing. Don't want to jump straight to the next point too quickly.

**Chapter Thirteen: Harmless**

John sighed tiredly as he sprawled out on the sofa – the huge new sofa in their new apartment on which the fire mutant was almost lost on. He jumped slightly as the silence in the room was shattered by the sound of his cell phone. Cursing under his breath, the pyrokinetic scrambled to find the phone amongst all the cushions, finally locating it. He looked down at the screen, arching an eyebrow at the name flashing back at him.

"Hey Pietro," the fire mutant smiled, albeit a little apprehensively. "How's it going?"

"Not bad…" Pietro replied somewhat wistfully. "Bored…"

"You're always bored," John rolled his eyes. Pietro laughed.

"It's not my fault the rest of the world is _so slow_!" he whined. John shook his head, laughing quietly.

"So… you back up to speed then?"

"Yup!" the grin John knew the speedster would be wearing was clear in his voice.

"Well that's good to hear," he replied.

"What about you then?" Pietro asked mischievously. "Still shacked up with crazy?"

"He's not crazy!" John replied instinctively, although he was relieved that the other mutant was not there to see his facial expression.

"Yeah, yeah…" Pietro laughed. "You just keep telling yourself that."

John shook his head slightly, sighing quietly. Reaching over to the table, he grabbed the bottle of beer he had left there, flopping back onto the sofa leisurely. He didn't notice the figure that appeared in the doorway.

"Was there something in particular you wanted?" the fire mutant asked lightly as he raised his beer bottle to his lips.

"Yeah. I'm horny."

John spluttered slightly, sitting up quickly to stop himself choking. Arching an eyebrow he let out an uneasy laugh.

"And you're telling me because…" he managed to maintain a relatively calm voice.

"You're hot," Pietro replied simply. John closed his eyes briefly, shaking his head as colour crept up his cheeks.

"You're persistent," the fire mutant laughed. Pietro chuckled.

"When I really, _really _want something, yeah," the blonde's grin was obvious in his voice. "Go on… I promise I won't tell Jamie."

John rolled his eyes, taking a deep breath to help maintain his calm composure.

"I'm afraid I'll still have to decline."

Pietro sighed wistfully.

"Well just remember that you have my number if you ever want someone who's _not _crazy."

"I'll remember…" John smirked, although he pulled on a more serious expression as he looked up and found Jamie was standing in the doorway, arms crossed looking down at him inquisitively. There was another quiet sigh down the cell phone.

"Oh well, if this isn't going to get me any then I suppose I'll have to go searching elsewhere…" Pietro moaned. John rolled his eyes but smiled none-the-less.

"Well good luck with your search – I'm sure it won't take you long to find a willing victim."

"See – you even admit I'm irresistible," Pietro replied quickly – suggestively. John chuckled quietly.

"Good bye…" he said with a slight shake of the head, laughing as he hung up. Taking a deep breath he turned his attention to Jamie. "Hey."

"Hey…" the multiplying mutant replied casually, making his way over to the sofa, collapsing leisurely onto the opposite end from John. Sprawling out on the huge cushions he glanced over at the younger mutant. "Who was that?"

"Pietro."

"Pietro? What was he wanting?"

"Oh, just the usual," John smirked, albeit a little apprehensively. "Just trying to lure me into bed."

Jamie arched an eyebrow.

"And you said no?"

John blinked rapidly, looking up at Jamie in confusion before realisation dawned, a quiet sigh escaping his lips.

"Yeah, I said no," he confirmed. Jamie laughed and leant forward quickly, stealing the bottle of beer from the younger mutant and taking a quick drink.

"Why? He's cute."

John took a deep breath, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling stirring within him.

"I have a boyfriend," he replied quietly with the hint of a wry smile on his lips. Jamie waved a hand dismissively.

"Oh come on, you're far too young to be tied down."

John laughed quietly, shrugging casually.

"What can I say? I fell in love."

Jamie rolled his eyes, taking another sip of beer.

"Love doesn't get you anything but heartache," he muttered dryly before pulling a smirk onto his lips. "Seriously though – you and the speedy little narcissist would be something else," his eyes lit up playfully. "Could I watch?"

John let out a strangled laugh, bowing his head to hide the horrified expression on his face.

"I'm not going to sleep with Pietro," the fire mutant took a deep breath and looked back up. Jamie shook his head.

"Don't be so stubborn…" he leant forward again but John was too quick, snatching his cell phone away from the multiplying mutant, holding it well out of his reach. Jamie laughed and leant back, holding up his hands in retreat. "Fine. But it's your loss."

"Yeah…" John sighed, trying not to frown as he clambered to his feet. "I'm going for a shower."

"Oh… ok…" Jamie looked up at the fire mutant thoughtfully. "You alright?"

John smiled tiredly.

"Yeah, fine," he shoved his cell phone safely into his pocket. "Speak to ya later."

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

It was almost an hour later when John made his way back into the lounge, dressed only in his jeans, towel drying his damp, floppy hair. He frowned slightly as he found the room empty. Sighing quietly he started forward but jumped as he felt a hand on his bare back.

"Hey," Jamie grinned, stealing a quick kiss. "That was a long shower."

John studied the other mutant quickly, a smile spreading onto his lips as he shrugged slightly, leaning into Jamie's hold.

"I was just nice and warm," he replied. Jamie laughed and led the pyrokinetic towards the sofa.

"I wasn't complaining," he smirked as he pulled the smaller mutant down onto his lap. "In fact I was just about thinking about coming in and joining you."

"Oh were you now?" John returned the smirk, leaning forward and stealing another kiss before leaning back. "Oh – Pietro called."

"Did he?" Jamie tried to look casual but he couldn't hide the jealous flare in his eyes. "What was he after?"

"Just the usual," John shrugged. Jamie scowled.

"Well he can't have it," he tightened his grip around the fire mutant possessively. John arched an eyebrow.

"That's not what you were saying earlier."

"What?" Jamie's face fell quickly. John bit his lip guiltily at his flippant comment.

"You were trying to tell me that I should just go for it," he smiled reassuringly as he stroked the multiplying mutant's cheek. "And that you wanted to watch."

Jamie screwed up his face.

"Oh Christ…" he sighed, looking up at John sincerely. "I am so sorry."

"Hey, no harm done," John laughed. "Although you were trying to steal my cell and call Pietro."

Jamie closed his eyes, bowing his head and shaking it in despair.

"What else did I do?"

"Well you said I was too young to be tied down."

"I did?" Jamie glanced up with an arched eyebrow.

"Yup," John nodded. "And you said that being in love just gave you heartache."

Jamie rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"God I talk some shit," he muttered. "John, really I…"

"Jamie, it's fine!" John insisted, capturing the multiplying mutant's lips, distracting him from his negative thoughts with a lingering kiss. He smiled reassuringly as he pulled away. "It was _weird _– but fine."

Jamie took a deep breath and gave a conceding nod.

"Ok," he relented, although a troubled glint remained in his eyes. Forcing a smile he lifted John up only to throw him back down onto the huge cushions on their sofa. "Now… let's get all thoughts of Pietro out of that head of yours…"


	14. Not So Harmless

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note:** Again – a filler. But don't worry – the big decision will be in chapter sixteen so we're getting there!

**Chapter Fourteen: Not So Harmless**

John allowed himself a satisfied nod as he put away the last of the crockery and cutlery, all the dishes from their evening meal washed and put away. The fire mutant arched an eyebrow, smirking slightly to himself. Well wasn't he getting all domesticated in his old age? If only Cyclops could see him now…

With one last glance around the kitchen John made his way to the fridge, pulling out two bottles of beer and making his way for the door to go and re-join Jamie in the lounge. Since the multiplying mutant had cooked, John had insisted that he stay and relax while he cleared up.

"Hey…" the pyrokinetic smiled, handing Jamie his bottle from behind the sofa. Jamie reached back and took the beer with barely a glance, although John did not notice. Rounding the sofa he flopped down next to his boyfriend, moving to cosy up into the older mutant's side.

"Do you have to?" the multiplying mutant curled his lip up, leaning away as John blinked rapidly. "God, you can be so _clingy_."

"I am not clingy!" John replied defensively before his brain had even had time to process what was going on. Taking a deep breath, he paused for long enough to register the situation, closing his eyes briefly and sighing under his breath. Shuffling back to the far end of the sofa the fire mutant slumped back casually, crossing his arms across his chest. Jamie rolled his eyes.

"Oh don't try and act the tough guy," he muttered contemptuously, turning his attention fully back to the television. "We both know you're not."

John inhaled sharply against the spiteful tone in the other mutant's voice, desperately trying not to argue back. There was no point. And it wasn't Jamie talking to him so there was no point getting upset. Not that he _was _upset…

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Jamie stifled a yawn as slowly he became aware of his surroundings. Stretching leisurely he blinked rapidly, frowning slightly as he found himself lying alone on the sofa in near darkness. His frown deepened as he glanced at the clock. It was late. Taking a deep breath he quickly looked around the room, finding only two bottles of beer sitting abandoned on the table. The multiplying mutant racked his memory. He'd cooked dinner – a spicy pasta dish that John really liked – and then John had gone to clear up and then…

… …

"Shit…" Jamie sighed closing his eyes and running his hands through his hair.

_Maybe we just fell asleep while firebug was doing the dishes?_

_And slept for five hours? Without John waking us up?_

… …

_Maybe we…_

_Maybe we didn't fall asleep at all._

With a heavy sigh Jamie clambered to his feet, trying – unsuccessfully – to quell the nausea building within him. Quickly he made his way towards the master bedroom, taking a deep breath as he gently eased open the door. Despite his apprehension the multiplying mutant could not help the faint smile that pulled on his lips as he found John lying in their bed, subtly illuminated by the light spilling into the room from behind Jamie. The fire mutant always looked so peaceful – and dare he say _innocent_? – when he was asleep. He lay on his side at the side of the bed nearest the door, facing Jamie, with one arm out over the duvet but with the rest of it pulled tight up to his chin. Jamie noted John's bare arm as he switched off the light behind him. He normally wore one of Jamie's old hoodies if they were going to bed with the intention of actually sleeping. Gently shutting the door behind him, Jamie carefully crossed the floor and rounded the bed, undressing quietly in an attempt to not awaken the slumbering fire mutant, but as John shifted, pulling the duvet tighter Jamie realised he had not succeeded.

"Sorry," the multiplying mutant said quietly, throwing the last of his clothes onto a nearby chair and climbing into the bed. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"Wasn't asleep," came the grumbled reply. Jamie's heart sank at the tone. Frowning concernedly he shuffled closer and slipped an arm around John's waist in an attempt to pull him gently back to his chest but the fire mutant shrugged him off. The knot forming in Jamie's stomach tightened further still.

"John, what's wrong?" he asked, resting his weight on his elbow as he remained poised as if to take hold of his boyfriend. John sighed heavily.

"Nothing," he replied tiredly, shuffling back slightly in what appeared to be an invitation to Jamie. Carefully the older mutant slipped his arm around John although his apprehension remained.

"John, please," he pleaded quietly. "Tell me what I did."

"Doesn't matter – it wasn't really you anyway was it?" John replied tightly. Jamie frowned heavily and shook his head.

"It doesn't matter if it was me, a not-me-me or someone else altogether. I'd still wanna know why you're so upset."

"I'm not upset," John muttered flatly. Jamie sighed quietly.

"You won't even look at me," he pointed out.

"It's dark," John replied simply. The multiplying mutant shook his head helplessly.

"John…" he tried to coax his lover into a more comfortable hold but John stubbornly held onto the covers, not reciprocating Jamie's touch in any way. The feeling of nausea washed over Jamie more strongly. Pulling away again slightly, he took a deep breath. "Did I… hurt you? I mean… _physically_…"

"Of course not!" John replied quickly. Sighing quietly he shuffled back and took Jamie's arm, pulling it back around him and holding it there the way he normally would. "I just… I know you don't like it when I'm too clingy."

"_Clingy_? Are you kidding?" Jamie couldn't help but laugh quickly, raising his head to look down at the fire mutant even though he could barely make him out in the dark. "Do you not remember how long it took for us to date properly? How long it took to fall asleep together? For you to say you loved me?" he managed a faint smile as John shuffled slightly, a slightly sheepish grunt escaping his lips. "That took _months_ – and even then it was an almost inaudible _love you too _into my chest after I'd plied you with alcohol and made love to you for about five hours," Jamie smiled affectionately despite his lingering apprehension, stroking the fire mutant's chest softly. "And let's not forget how long it took me to persuade you to move in with me. Clingy is not a word I'd use for you. Why the hell would you think… Oh. Right. I called you clingy earlier?"

"Amongst other things," John shrugged although Jamie could still feel the tension in his body. The older mutant closed his eyes briefly, giving a small shake of the head.

"What else did I say?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Well, obviously it does," Jamie replied as patiently as he could, knowing he could not be angry at John but he could not help but feel frustrated. John shook his head, pulling away from Jamie again but only to turn round, resting his head on the multiplying mutant's shoulder.

"Jamie… I don't like talking about my parents at all so twice in one day would really be pushing it."

Jamie closed his eyes, cursing silently.

"I brought up your parents?"

"You… kinda brought up everything I hate about myself," John admitted quietly. Jamie frowned heavily, holding the other mutant tighter.

"I'm so sorry John. You I don't… I mean… I don't think… whatever I said…"

"I know," John interrupted. "It just hurt more 'cause you said it – 'cause it came from your mouth. Even if it wasn't really you."

"I'm sorry," Jamie repeated quietly, resting his head against John's, knowing there was nothing else he could say or do to make things better. The two lay in silence for a moment before finally John spoke up again.

"Your… other personalities…" he began carefully before pausing again. "They eh… well like the other day when you were trying to convince me to go and sleep with Pietro you were _you_. Personality wise you were normal but you didn't seem to know that we were together. But tonight – you knew we were together but…"

Jamie frowned heavily.

"I don't understand how it works John, if I did it might be easier to get it under control," he said helplessly. John took a deep breath.

"Do you think they're part of you? Some… subconscious…"

"Hey! There is no subconscious part of me that thinks you're clingy!" Jamie interrupted quickly, cupping a hand under John's chin and raising it too look at him despite the darkness. "And there certainly is not a subconscious part of me that wants you to sleep with that narcissistic little blonde," the multiplying mutant was relieved to feel a smile pulling on John's lips as he leant down for a kiss. "You can't think like that John."

"I know, I'm sorry."

Jamie sighed guiltily as the fire mutant apologised.

"No, _I'm_ sorry," he ran a hand down John's back. "Maybe it's time to think about getting that help."

John shook his head.

"No," it was his turn to tighten his grip against the other mutant. "We're fine."

"John…"

"Jamie, really. We're fine," John replied definitely although it did nothing to convince Jamie. Never-the-less with a relenting sigh he nodded, settling down into the bedding with the smaller mutant in his arms. But _fine _was not the word he'd use…


	15. Time For Help

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note:** So much for getting these chapters up quickly – sorry!

**Chapter Fifteen: Time For Help**

Jamie couldn't help but smirk as he watched John undress from the opposite side of the bed. The fire mutant paused with his fingers on his belt as he felt the gaze upon him. He looked up with an arched eyebrow.

"What?"

"Just admiring the view," Jamie replied innocently. John rolled his eyes and continued to undo his belt but he could not help the hint of colour that crept up his cheeks. Jamie laughed quietly, quickly undressing himself and clambering onto the bed. Suddenly he reached out and pulled the pyrokinetic down with him, pinning him down easily, planting quick kisses up John's neck. The fire mutant laughed, slipping one hand over Jamie's shoulders as the other cupped his face and pulled him into a quick but affectionate kiss.

"Sorry… not tonight," he said quietly with an apologetic smile on his lips. Jamie let out a disgruntled groan but he returned the smile.

"Fine…" the smile faded quickly however as the older mutant clambered off the younger, lying down next to him and propping his head up on his elbow. "Everything ok?"

"Of course!" John replied quickly although a relenting sigh escaped his lips. "You… turned again last night. Mid sex."

"Oh…" Jamie sighed heavily, closing his eyes briefly. "Did I hurt you again?"

"No! No, you didn't hurt me," John replied reassuringly. "You were just… vocal."

"Vocal?" Jamie arched an eyebrow, his expression one of apprehension. John nodded sheepishly.

"A lot of… dirty talk," he took a deep breath and continued quickly. "I mean it was really… we were well into it and it took me moment to realise and…"

"Hey… It's ok," Jamie laughed, albeit a little forced. John shook his head.

"No it's not!" he sighed. "I feel like I cheated on you."

"But… you didn't," Jamie replied quietly. John screwed up his face.

"Says he who doesn't like his dupes touching me."

"That's different," Jamie scowled. John arched an eyebrow before sighing and resting his head against Jamie's chest.

"I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for," Jamie insisted, rolling onto his back and pulling the fire mutant towards him although he was relieved John could not see the mix of disappointment, hurt and concern in his eyes. "Good night firebug…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

John curled his lip up as he flicked absently through the television channels. So many programmes yet nothing he wanted to watch…

The fire mutant's attention was grabbed away from the television by the sound of his cell phone ringing.

"Hey Drake," he greeted as he flipped open his phone.

"Hi," Bobby replied. "You ok to talk?"

"Yeah sure," John shrugged despite knowing Bobby would not see, sitting up from his slouched position and leaning forward slightly. "What's up?"

"Oh nothing much," Bobby laughed sheepishly. "I just need to talk to someone who's neither on the verge of giving birth or only talking about the impending birth."

"Oh, of course," John nodded. "When is Marie due?"

"Yesterday."

John laughed.

"Oh," he said simply. No much wonder the ice mutant sounded so anxious. "Well there must be plenty else going on there? How's that Jinx kid doing?" the pyrokinetic smirked slightly. "Still making out with that Tommy kid in empty classrooms?"

Bobby let out a warm chuckle.

"Yeah… that Jinx kid is still making out with that Tommy kid," he confirmed. "The two of them are practically joined at the hip."

"So Jinx settled down at the mansion then?" John asked.

"Yeah, he's settled down fine. He can still be a bit…" the ice mutant paused briefly. "_Anxious_. I think he finds it difficult to trust people but he's getting there."

"Good," John nodded approvingly. "Well I guess I did the right thing leaving him with you lot then."

"I guess you did," Bobby laughed. "So what about you? How's the new place?"

"Oh, it's fine," John smiled sheepishly. "Still miss our old place though. I never thought I'd grow so attached to something as simple as bed sheets."

"Those are the little things that make a home," Bobby replied understandingly. John screwed his nose up.

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered. Bobby chuckled quietly.

"So, how's Jamie?"

"Fine," John replied instinctively although a wry smile pulled on his lips. "Yeah, all fine. He's just popped out to the stores at the moment."

"You ever get worried when he goes out on his own?"

"Every time," John sighed, although he did not admit to the ice mutant that potential kidnapping was not the only reason he worried…

"Well, tell Jamie I said hi then."

"Will do," John gave a small nod. "Tell Jinx and Tommy I say hi too."

"Sure thing," Bobby let out a quick sigh. "Sorry, I'm going to have to go – Warren needs a hand."

"Ok," John returned to his slouched position on the couch. "Oh well, good luck with you know what."

"Thanks John," Bobby replied warmly. "I'll talk to you later. Bye for now."

"Bye…" the fire mutant snapped his phone shut again and tossed it down on the sofa next to him. He jumped slightly as a voice came from behind him.

"Who was that?"

John spun round to find Jamie standing in the doorway, arms crossed.

"Christ, I didn't hear you come in," the fire mutant laughed. "That was just Bobby."

Jamie's face darkened.

"I thought I told you to stay away from him."

For the briefest of moments a confused frown played on John's brow before realisation dawned. With a quiet sigh he shook his head and turned back to face the television.

"No you never."

"Excuse me?" Jamie rounded the sofa, looking down at the fire mutant incredulously. "Don't you talk to me like that."

John took a deep breath, trying not to get too exasperated as once again he found himself with a non-Jamie Jamie. Standing up he started to make his way round the sofa.

"Let's talk about it later, I'm going for a shower."

"No, we'll talk _now_," Jamie growled, grabbing the fire mutant's arm roughly. John couldn't help but let out a sharp gasp at the painful hold. "I told you not to talk to him."

"Jamie let go…" John tried to squirm away but found he was held tight. "Jamie!"

"You're supposed to be _my _boyfriend," Jamie hissed. "What the hell were you doing on the phone to _him_?"

"He called me!" the words were out of John's mouth before he could even think about them – and Jamie's fist slammed into his face before he even saw the other mutant move.

"You _will not_ talk to him!" Jamie said forcefully, pulling the smaller male back towards him roughly. "You will not _see _him, do you understand?" he gave John a firm shake. "Do. You. Understand?"

John managed a small nod. A strangled cry escaped his lips as he was thrown to the side, stumbling into the sofa.

"I'm going out," Jamie muttered. John didn't even look up until he heard the front door to the apartment slam shut. Slumping down onto the floor he leant his back against the sofa, bringing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them, resting his head on them. The fire mutant closed his eyes tightly as he took deep, shaky breaths, desperately fighting the hot sensation burning at his eyes…

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

It was almost two hours later when Jamie quietly – apprehensively – made his way back into the apartment. It had happened again. He'd suddenly found himself in a bar with no recollection since he had been halfway through grocery shopping. The multiplying mutant took a deep breath. Hopefully John wasn't too worried about him being gone for so long. A slight frown pulled on his brow as he found the lounge and kitchen empty. It was not that late – surely John would not be in his bed already?

"John?" Jamie's unease grew as he gently opened their bedroom door, finding his boyfriend sitting in the dim light on their bed, his legs crossed and his head bowed. A sharp gasp escaped his lips as John looked up, his normally vibrant, fiery eyes dulled but more alarmingly, a dark circle around his left eye was visible even in the poor light. Jamie immediately reached for the light switch, illuminating the room properly. John flinched away from the harsh light but not before Jamie saw the extent of his black eye. "Oh my God… I… I didn't…"

"No," John shook his head. "_You _didn't do this."

Jamie closed his eyes tightly, nausea sweeping through him once again. For what felt like an eternity the two remained in silence until Jamie finally found his voice again.

"John… we can't…"

"I called the Professor," John interrupted quietly. "He and Hank will see us in the morning."

Jamie simply nodded. There was nothing left to say.


	16. The Choice

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note:** Remember, I haven't entirely settled on the ending yet (although there's still a few chapters left!) so all input is welcome… hint hint…

**Chapter Sixteen: The Choice**

Jamie took a deep breath as he drew his car into the garage at the mansion, switching off the engine and casting a sideways glance at the fire mutant next to him. They'd driven the whole way in silence. A cold, apprehensive, stony silence…

"You ready?" Jamie asked quietly. John sighed quietly.

"Yeah, I guess."

Jamie frowned slightly.

"What did you say when you called?"

"Just that you were having side effects," the fire mutant opened his door before he could change his mind. "Come on, everyone should be in class. The Professor said to just head up to his office."

Jamie simply nodded and followed John into the mansion basement, the two quickly and quietly making their way up the stairs towards the offices. The fire mutant paused when he reached the professor's door, taking a deep breath and glancing quickly at Jamie before knocking softly, only opening the door upon receiving an invitation from the Professor. Slowly the two Brotherhood mutants entered Professor Xavier's office, the younger of the two instinctively keeping his head bowed although it did not hide his black eye, The professor offered Jamie a sombre smile, the newcomers facial expressions showing the serious nature of their predicament.

"James… John…" he gestured to the nearby chairs. "Please take a seat."

The two did as instructed as Hank too took a seat, putting a small stack of folders onto the table next to him.

"I have re-read the notes from your captivity," he explained, gesturing to the folders. "Due to the time constraints I focussed mainly on Cayden and Kayla while Mystique read yours and Jason's," the doctor arched an eyebrow inquisitively at the two. "Is Mystique aware that you are having problems?"

Both John and Jamie shook their heads slowly.

"It's… delicate," John said tightly, finally looking up. "We'd appreciate it if she wasn't told. Not yet."

"Of course," Hank gave an understanding nod, the professor also nodding in agreement. "So, with what exactly do you require our help?"

Jamie inhaled sharply, glancing quickly across at John but the fire mutant had his head bowed once more. Sighing quietly he explained their predicament to the x-men, starting with the problems he had experienced when his powers had first developed, only glossing over some of the more intimate details of the recent incidents with John. Hank and the professor listened patiently, giving only the occasional thoughtful nod although Hank could not suppress a quiet, startled gasp as Jamie admitted that he was the reason for John's black eye. The fire mutant looked up with a wry smile.

"We didn't come here lightly," he commented quietly. Hank took a deep breath, shaking his head.

"You should have come to us sooner."

"I was hoping it would go away – or I'd at least be able to get in under control," Jamie replied, unable to help but look over at John guiltily. "If I'd have thought for one minute that I'd…"

Hank nodded understandingly as Jamie's voice drifted off.

"Of course. Now this is not my area of expertise but obviously I will to what I can to help."

"So… you have no idea what it might be?" John asked dejectedly. Hank shook his head.

"It could be anything. Drugs lingering in the system perhaps."

Xavier nodded thoughtfully.

"There could be any number of explanations," he looked from John to Jamie. "You're going to have to trust us if we're going to help you."

Jamie couldn't help but curl his lip up slightly.

"You mean that I have to let you inside my head," he grumbled. With a tired sigh he nodded reluctantly. "Ok."

John took a sharp, silent breath. _He _hated the professor poking about in his head – he knew Jamie would not be too keen on it either.

"John," Xavier cut into the fire mutant's thoughts. "Perhaps it would be best if we proceed with James alone."

Instinctively the pyrokinetic's shoulders tensed. Quickly he looked over at Jamie, meeting the other mutant's bright blue eyes for the first time since entering the office. Slowly Jamie's lips curled into a small smile, the older mutant giving a reassuring nod. Reluctantly John clambered to his feet.

"Fine," he turned to head towards the door, pausing only briefly to quickly run a hand over Jamie's shoulders – just about the only contact the two had had since the night before. "I'll amuse myself somehow then."

"Bobby has no classes today," Xavier said. "I'm sure he would be pleased to see you."

John arched an eyebrow dubiously, not entirely sure that meeting with Bobby looking the way he did was a good idea. Jamie looked up at the fire mutant.

"Just go see the iceblock," he said quietly. John sighed quietly but nodded none-the-less.

"Let me know as soon as you're done yeah?" the fire mutant instructed to no-one in particular as he made his way towards the door. He had a feeling this could be a long day…

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Bobby stifled a yawn as he made his way out of his bathroom, dressed only in a pair of jeans following his late shower. It had been a long night…

A soft buzz drew the ice mutant's attention to his jacket draped over the back of a chair. Delving into the pocket he pulled out his cell phone, finding a text message from John. Arching an eyebrow he opened the message.

_Get your ass down to the kitchen_

Bobby's brow furrowed into a confused frown. Never-the-less he grabbed up a t-shirt, pulling it over his head quickly and making his way out his bedroom and down the corridor. A couple of minutes later he found himself in the kitchen, with John sitting at the central island cradling a mug of hot chocolate.

"Hey! What brings you here?" Bobby smiled, at first alarmed by the fire mutant's presence but John's casual demeanour put him at ease.

"Oh… just Jamie needed to see the professor," John shrugged, looking up quickly. Bobby couldn't help but gasp.

"Christ, what happened to you?" he frowned concernedly, taking a seat opposite John. The pyrokinetic waved a hand dismissively.

"Oh it looks worse than it is."

"That's not an answer," Bobby replied. "What happened?"

John shifted uncomfortably.

"It was an accident," he said quietly, knowing he should make up some kind of lie but nothing came out.

"An accident?" Bobby arched an eyebrow dubiously, seeing the troubled glaze in the fire mutant's eyes. "John, what's going on?"

John sighed tiredly, staring down into the steaming hot liquid in the mug in front of him for a moment before looking back up.

"Since we got Jamie back he's been having… kinda… multiple personality episodes…" the fire mutant started, tapping his fingers against his mug as he tried to decide how to continue. Bobby frowned slightly although he quickly put two and two together.

"_Jamie_ did that to you?"

"No!" John shook his head definitely. "_Jamie_ didn't do this. A…" he sighed helplessly. "A _personality _did this."

Bobby took a deep breath, biding his tongue as he tried to process what the fire mutant was saying.

"So… that day he threatened me to stay away from you…"

John nodded.

"He has no control over when it happens," he explained. "The only way he knows it's even happened is if he realises he can't remember a portion of the day."

"Really?" Bobby frowned. As concerned as he was for John's welfare at that moment he found himself sympathising with Jamie. "So… has it happened often?"

"Well… no… just…" John shook his head slowly although quickly looked back up at the ice mutant, pointing to his eye. "This is the worst that's happened!"

Bobby gave a nod.

"Are they always aggressive?"

"No!" the fire mutant managed a dry laugh. "One of them was trying to persuade me to go and have sex with Pietro!" his face grew sombre again quickly. "Some of them are harmless but then others… it completely varies."

Bobby offered John a sympathetic smile.

"Must be difficult," he said quietly. "So you're here to see if the professor can tell what's causing it? See if he can help?"

John nodded.

"He and Hank are with Jamie now."

"I'm sure between them they'll figure it out," Bobby smiled reassuringly.

"I hope so…" John took a deep, shaky breath. "I don't know how much longer we can go on like this. I mean I trust Jamie _completely _but he has no control over this. I could barely look at him last night after he…" again he could only gesture loosely at his face. "And I know Jamie feels terrible about it all."

"I can only imagine," Bobby shook his head, at a loss for what else to say. John sighed heavily and ran his hands through his hair, looking up at the ice mutant with a more composed expression.

"So what about you Drake? Why aren't you in class right now?"

"Oh…" Bobby couldn't help the grin that took over his face. "I only got home from the hospital a couple of hours ago."

"The hospital?" John frowned before realisation dawned. "Marie went into labour?"

"Yeah," Bobby's smile somehow widened. "I'm a daddy."

"Congratulations," John smiled genuinely. "Boy or a girl?"

"A girl. Abigail Jean," Bobby replied happily. John nodded.

"That's nice," he said quietly. "Really, I'm happy for you."

"Thanks John," Bobby smiled appreciatively. A slight frown pulled back onto John's brow.

"What the hell are you doing here then? Why aren't you cooing over your new baby?"

Bobby laughed.

"I just came back to get some fresh clothes and grab a shower – and a quick nap!"

"Christ, I'm sorry, I'm keeping you from going back in…"

"Hey, it's alright!" Bobby insisted. "Mother and baby were both sound asleep when I left – I'm sure they won't miss me that much in the time I'm talking to you."

"Still…" John shook his head defiantly. "You should get going again."

Bobby sighed with a slight roll of the eyes.

"John…"

"Really Bobby, go," the fire mutant forced a casual expression onto his face. "I'm fine. Go."

Bobby arched an eyebrow, unconvinced, but he knew that when John clammed up that was conversation over.

"Well, you know you can call me anytime, yeah?" the ice mutant said softly, standing up from the kitchen island. John just nodded silently. "Well I'll see you around then."

"Yeah, see ya," John forced a smile as the ice mutant left – only giving into his weary sigh when Bobby was safely out of earshot. Now he was alone again…

_The danger room is free for the next few hours_

John scowled heavily.

"Stay outa my head and concentrate on Jamie," he muttered but never-the-less he stood and made his way towards the door. Blowing off some steam in the danger room sounded like a very good idea…

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Jamie sighed tiredly, leaning back on the sofa in the professor's office, running his hands through his hair as he closed his eyes. He didn't bother to open them as he heard the door open, until a quiet voice filtered to his ears.

"Hey…" John smiled meekly as Jamie's eyes flew open. The fire mutant gestured loosely to his head. "I was summoned."

"Oh, they'll be back soon," Jamie replied, shuffling up slightly on the sofa as John made his way towards him. John gave a nod, pausing in front of the sofa.

"How you feeling?"

Jamie shook his head, shrugging slightly.

"Slightly…violated."

Again John gave a nod.

"Yeah, having the professor poking around in your head does that to you," he took a seat a little along the sofa from Jamie. The multiplying mutant bowed his head slightly to hide the disappointment at the distance between them but quickly found himself being pulled down to lay with his head on John's lap. John smiled down at the older mutant's slightly startled face, stroking the top of his hair gently. "I'm sorry I was so distant this morning."

"You don't have to be sorry," Jamie replied quickly, reaching up as if to stroke John's face but holding his hand back as it neared the fire mutant's black eye. "So… did you speak to Bobby?"

"Eh, yeah, briefly," John nodded a little uneasily before pulling a smile onto his lips. "Iceman's a daddy."

"Oh yeah? Well good for him," the multiplying mutant nodded. "Did you tell him about…"

John smiled wryly as Jamie gestured loosely at his eye.

"Yeah… I'm sorry I…"

"It's ok!" Jamie interrupted. "I'd rather you spoke to him than keep everything bottled up and take it out on me later."

A small, relieved sigh escaped John's lips as he leant down and stole a quick kiss.

"So… have they said anything?"

"No," Jamie shook his head. "Not yet. Just asked lots of questions."

John screwed up his nose.

"Fun…"

"Oh it was…" Jamie nodded mockingly. Both he and John bristled slightly as there was a knock on the door, the multiplying mutant sitting up as Hank and the professor entered the room. The two Brotherhood mutants couldn't help but take apprehensive breaths as the X-men took their seats.

"I'll get straight to the point," Hank looked the two in turn seriously, taking a deep breath. "Your power – which on the surface seems so simple – is far more complicated than I think even you imagined. Now, this is by no means my area of expertise but I am sure that what you have been experiencing are Multiple Personality episodes brought on through your power. You said that when you pull a duplicate back in that you can gain their memories and experiences? Well I believe that your mind has become so… _overloaded _with these different memories and associated personalities that it has triggered some form of Multiple Personality Disorder," he smiled ruefully. "As much as I would love to blame our friends at that research centre I have to admit that I believe this was always going to become a problem. The voices you sometimes hear is likely your brains first attempt to ease the overload. The research centre may have sped up the process, but I do not believe they caused it."

"You mean I was always going to go crazy?" Jamie muttered dryly. He felt John's hand supportively rest on his thigh and offered the fire mutant a small, appreciative smile before returning his attention to Hank. "So, what do I do about it?"

Again Hank took a deep breath.

"Well, I'm afraid that because it is all linked to your power there is very little you can do," he replied with a sympathetic tone. "No pharmaceutical or psychotherapeutic treatment is going to work."

"There must be something!" John looked from Hank to the professor as Jamie bowed his head, sighing helplessly. "Can't you… lock up the other personalities like you did with the Phoenix?"

"Oh no," Xavier shook his head firmly albeit with a tight, sympathetic smile. "That would certainly do more harm than good – as was the case with Jean."

"But…" John frowned heavily, desperate to press for a solution but not wanting to admit in front of Jamie just how much they needed one, even though he was sure the multiplying mutant felt the same.

"I'm afraid there is only one thing that can help you," Hank looked from one Brotherhood mutant to the other apprehensively. "This is a side effect of your power. If you want rid of it – you would have to take the cure."


	17. Not an Option

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note:** Ok… normally offering you a choice in something brings the reviewers out the woodwork but not this time. Oh well. Short chapter but I think the last few will be.

**Chapter Seventeen: Not an Option**

A stunned silence fell over Xavier's office… for all of two minutes.

"Well thanks for your help," John muttered, standing quickly. Jamie however lingered in his seat.

"That's really my only option?"

"It's _not _an option," John stated before either Hank or the Professor could reply. He reached down and loosely took Jamie's arm. "Come on, let's go."

"Jamie, _John_," Hank stood as Jamie was pulled to his feet. "I know that this was not what you wanted to hear but I really believe that this is only going to get worse! The… _episodes _are likely to become more frequent and possibly more extreme."

"You don't know that," John replied stubbornly. Hank gave a conceding bow of the head.

"I can't be certain, no, but…"

"Then we're going," John interrupted. "Really – thanks for your help."

Hank sighed quietly, knowing there was nothing else he could say to make the fire mutant listen. He looked over at Jamie, offering him a small but reassuring smile, receiving just a slight, grateful nod in return as the two Brotherhood mutants left the room. Quickly and silently John and Jamie made their way down to the garage, the pyrokinetic only pausing as they approached the car.

"I'll drive," he stated simply, holding his hand out for the keys. Jamie opened his mouth to argue but shut it quickly as he looked at John's determined face. With a relenting sigh he handed John the keys. Probably best the fire mutant drove – his head was an absolute mess…

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Jamie took a deep, apprehensive breath as he followed John into their home. They'd driven the whole way back in silence but he knew that was not going to last…

"Christ, I'm starving," John sighed suddenly, shrugging off his jacket and flinging it onto the nearby sofa. "What do you want to eat?" the fire mutant turned to Jamie with an arched eyebrow. "And by that I mean what flavour pizza you want me to shove in the oven?"

Jamie blinked rapidly before shaking his head.

"I'm not hungry," he replied quietly. John gave a small nod.

"Hot N Spicy it is then," he shrugged, turning to head towards the kitchen. Jamie closed his eyes briefly.

"Aren't we even going to talk about it?" he asked helplessly, frowning heavily as he opened his eyes to stare down at the ground.

"Nothing to talk about," John replied simply although he paused briefly in the doorway. "I can't stop you taking it but if you do I wouldn't be here when you got back."

Jamie's frown deepened as he looked up to find the other mutant starting to walk away again.

"John, wait," he reached out and grabbed the pyrokinetic's arm but he let go quickly as John flinched away. The multiplying mutant inhaled sharply against the sickening, helpless feeling swelling within him, closing his eyes as he took a reluctant step back from his boyfriend. John too closed his eyes briefly, letting out a quiet, guilty sigh.

"I'm sorry…" he stepped forward and slipped his hands onto the taller mutant's hips, resting his head on Jamie's chest. "Jamie you know what I did to try and stop the cure. I can't… I couldn't…"

"I know, I was on your side remember?" Jamie replied softly, even managing the faintest of smiles. "God knows I don't _want _to take it I just…" he pulled back slightly, cupping his hand gently over John's blackened eye. "I'm just scared of what will happen if I don't."

John gave a small, understanding nod.

"I'll put up with the crazy Jamies," he said quietly but determinedly holding a hand up to silence the other mutant's objections. "I know to expect the worst now. I was all ready to just walk away and ignore you being grumpy last night I just… I underestimated your grumpiness."

"So… you're just going to ignore me when I'm… _not me_?" Jamie arched an eyebrow dubiously but John gave a definite nod.

"And if I don't manage to ignore you then I know not to take it personally."

Jamie sighed wearily, still unconvinced but never-the-less he nodded in agreement, wrapping his arms firmly around the smaller mutant as once again John leant forward and rested his head on his chest.

_That's easy for him to say… he's not the one going crazy._

_Shut up._

_Well it's true._

_So what? You're saying we should take the cure? Cause you know what that would do to us._

_That is such a selfish thing to say._

_Who asked you?_

_Hey… I thought this was a free for all._

_Shut. Up._

… …

… …

_You really think ignoring it is going to work? You remember why we went to the mansion in the first place right? _

_Of course I remember…_

The multiplying mutant was torn from his thoughts as he felt John's hands slip round his back and under his shirt, the pyrokinetic's head moving upwards to plant soft kisses on Jamie's neck. A smile pulled on his lips as he bowed his head to meet John's, relieved firstly of the distraction but quickly became lost in the embrace. It had been so long since he had held the fire mutant so close. Instinctively he ran his hands up into John's hair, the two mutants stumbling backwards clumsily…

Jamie jumped back as he felt John flinch under his touch. He took a sharp breath as he tried to hide his bitter disappointment. John let out a shaky breath, opening his mouth to offer some form of apology but Jamie spoke up first.

"Maybe I am hungry," he said as casually as he could. "How about we go have that pizza and then just have an early night?" the multiplying mutant managed a meek smile. "I don't know about you but I haven't gotten that much sleep the last few days."

John returned the faint smile.

"Sounds good," he nodded, pointing in the direction of the kitchen. "I'll go stick the oven on then."

"Ok," Jamie smiled, holding back in the lounge.

_Still think you can just ignore this?_

… …

… …


	18. Impasse

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note:** Unless I can be convinced otherwise – this may be the last chapter. If it indeed is – thank you for reading! If you do convince me to write a couple more chapters – meh.

**Chapter Eighteen: Impasse**

… …

… …

_W…_

_Don't even think about it._

_Too late…_

_Look. I'd rather go crazy than take the damned cure._

Go _crazy?_

_Fuck you._

_Charming._

_Seriously though. What would be the point of being sane and then being all alone and not able to duplicate? _

_We'd be _sane_…_

_We'd be _bored…

_There would be no _we_._

… …

_Now that is worth thinking about…_

_You'd be bored without us!_

_I'd have to disagree. _

… …

_So you're gonna take the cure then?_

… …

_That's not what I said…_

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

John took a deep breath as he made his way into the bar in the small town not too far from Xavier's mansion. He quickly found the company he was looking for – the icy pale skin was always a giveaway.

"Hey," Bobby looked up from his seat in the booth in the corner, sliding a bottle across the table as John sat down opposite him. "I got you a drink."

"Thanks," the fire mutant managed a small smile as he picked up the bottle and took a quick swig. "So… how's fatherhood?"

Bobby looked across the table with an arched eyebrow, taking a drink from his own bottle.

"Tiring," he admitted but with an affectionate smile. "Wouldn't swap it though. What about you? How's things?"

"Drake, I came out to ignore the _things_," John raised his brows pointedly. "Come on – dish the dirt on the house Xavier built."

Bobby rolled his eyes slightly at John's dismissive stance but he did not press the fire mutant further.

"Well Tommy and Jinx have asked if they can share a room," he commented lightly instead, smiling mischievously as John managed a faint smirk. "Well Ororo is broody as hell. And Hank is _always_ round to visit. He says he's visiting everyone but he seems to spend most of his time with Ororo," the ice mutant paused, regarding his companion thoughtfully. "And Pete's got himself someone new. He's not saying anything about them – I think he's hiding them from us 'cause I think the girls get a little… over excited when they meet someone's new partner," again Bobby paused, shaking his head slightly as the pyrokinetic just started blankly at the beer bottle in his hands. "And Summers is dishing out so many detentions there aren't enough teachers to cover them all and the unicorns keep hogging the basketball courts."

John looked up with a small nod as Bobby stopped speaking, opening his mouth to offer some feeble acknowledgement to what he had said but he shut it again quickly, a frown suddenly taking over his face as the words actually sunk in.

"_What_?"

Bobby arched an eyebrow pointedly.

"John, it helps to talk you know," the ice mutant sighed quietly as John scowled. "Has Jamie… I mean…"

"No!" John replied defensively, somehow understanding the random hand gestures Bobby was making. "He hasn't hit me again. He hasn't…" the fire mutant's defensive stance faded as he let out a conceding sigh, running his hands through his hair tiredly. "He hasn't done anything. At all. Good or bad. He's so scared of doing something wrong and I'm so… I mean I would trust _Jamie_ with my life but…"

"It's understandable that you're wary," Bobby offered softly. John screwed up his nose.

"Yeah but…" his voice grew quiet. "We barely even speak during the day and then we go to bed at different times and he lies at the opposite side of the bed and I can't even _remember _the last time we…"

Bobby gave a small nod as John's voice trailed off uneasily.

"You're still not considering the cure then?" he ventured tentatively, holding a hand up in apology as John's face instantly darkened.

"No," the fire mutant replied flatly, although he gave a conceding sigh. "Look, I know it's the _sensible_ option. But… you remember when I burned down that clinic right?"

Bobby couldn't help but flinch slightly.

"Of course I remember," he nodded.

"Then you'll remember the screams? And the smell of burning?" the fire mutant frowned slightly. "Well that's what I hear when I look at Marie and that's what I smell when I look at Marie," he smiled dryly. "I don't think it would work out too well if that happened when I looked at Jamie."

Bobby blinked in surprise at the other mutant's frankness but gave an understanding nod.

"Does _Jamie_ want to take it?"

John screwed his face up.

"No… well… I don't think he _wants _to take it but he says he would if…" the fire mutant flinched slightly. "You know if I wanted him to…"

"Oh…" Bobby nodded understandingly. "So… he's only gonna take the cure if you're still going to be around but you're _not _so the two of you are just…"

"Wandering about like ghosts," John admitted quietly. Bobby regarded the other mutant thoughtfully.

"You wanna know what I think?"

John screwed up his nose but despite himself let out a relenting sigh.

"What to you think?" he muttered. Bobby took a deep breath.

"Sounds to me like you've both… just given up," he offered gently. "But neither of you want to be the one to end it."

"Neither of us are ending it because it's _not over_," John crossed his arms defensively. Bobby held up a hand apologetically but did not back down.

"That's not what it sounds like," the ice mutant pointed out calmly, pausing as John bowed his head in conceit. "I think you need to go home, _talk _to Jamie about nothing in particular, have dinner together, go and… do whatever it is that two guys who live together do," he offered a faint smile as John bowed his head, colour creeping up his cheeks, but Bobby's face grew serious again. "Or else you're really just two guys who live in the same house."

For a long moment John just stared at the beer bottle in his hands before finally letting out a weary sigh, nodding slowly as he looked back up at the other mutant.

"Yeah, I guess…" he finished his bottle of beer, running his hand through his hair before taking a deep breath and forcing a smile onto his face. "Anyway… enough of me. Come on. Tell me about the baby…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Jamie took a deep – familiarly apprehensive – breath as he gently opened the front door to his home, stepping over the threshold and closing the door again quietly. He jumped slightly as John appeared suddenly in front of him.

"Hey…" the multiplying mutant offered meekly, giving a small wave.

"Hey," John returned the smile, stepping forward slightly. "Where were you hiding?"

"Oh, I eh…" Jamie rubbed the back of his neck uneasily. "I'm not sure. I went out to the store and next thing I knew I was in a bar."

"It's ok – I wasn't…" John laughed quietly and slipped his arms around Jamie's waist. "I wasn't having a go."

Jamie smiled sheepishly, in turn tentatively placing his hands on John's hips.

"Sorry…" he laughed as he realized his apology was in conflict with the fire mutant's statement. "So… you meet up with Drake?"

"Yeah," John shrugged absently. "Just lots of baby talk."

"Fun…" Jamie smirked.

"Yup," John smiled and leant up for a kiss. Jamie felt a little flutter in his stomach as for the first time in far too long he held his boyfriend but all too quickly a frown pulled on his brow as John flinched away slightly.

"I'm sorry," Jamie said again, moving to pull away again but the fire mutant held his shirt tightly.

"Hey!" John smirked slightly as he screwed up his nose. "It's just… you _smell _like you've been in a bar, that's all."

"Oh," Jamie laughed, moving back towards the pyrokinetic. "Sorry."

"Stop apologising!" John hit the multiplying mutant's chest lightly before slipping his arms around the taller mutant's neck, pulling him down into a lingering albeit slightly tentative kiss. Jamie laughed quietly as the two parted.

"What was that for?"

"I need a reason?" John arched an eyebrow. Jamie arched an eyebrow.

"I guess not…" he conceded as the fire mutant pulled him down into a deeper, longer kiss although this time it was the older of the two who screwed his face up slightly as they parted. "What's that smell?"

"Oh…" John smiled sheepishly. "I tried cooking dinner but…well…"

"Ah," Jamie nodded understandingly, unable to keep the smile from his lips. "What were you trying to cook?"

"I'm not entirely sure…" John admitted. "The remains are stuck to the bottom of the pan though if you wanna try taking a guess."

Jamie laughed and shook his head.

"What on earth possessed you to try and cook?"

"I just… thought it would be nice to… _hang out_," John shrugged. "Have some food, watch a movie…"

Jamie took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, I haven't exactly been very social lately."

"You and me both," John replied quietly, pulling the taller mutant down into another kiss. "That's easily fixed though…"

"Mmmm…John…" Jamie smiled into the pyrokinetic's lips but quickly the smiled faded back into apprehension as tried to pull away. "John…"

"Shhhhh…" John ran a hand up into Jamie's hair, coaxing him back down into a series of light kisses, pulling him gently backwards until the fire mutant's back was against the wall. "Just relax."

Despite himself Jamie found himself returning the embrace, the kisses quickly becoming more heated… until suddenly he felt John's hands slipping under his shirt.

"John…" he pulled away again but once more John's hands cupped around his face.

"Jamie… I trust you," the fire mutant said earnestly, looking Jamie straight in the eye. Smiling reassuringly he pulled the older mutant closer again, arching his body against Jamie's, stealing another kiss as he fought back the urge to cringe away at the smell of the bar again. "Please Jamie… I've missed this…" the pyrokinetic's fists tightened around Jamie's shirt. "I've missed you."

Jamie's mouth opened but nothing came out. Instead a smile pulled slowly onto his lips as he let John lead him towards their bedroom. The smile broadened as the two entered the room, Jamie spinning the smaller mutant round and taking him firmly in his arms as the door shut behind them. Clumsily the two stumbled backwards, falling onto the bed.

"I've missed you too…" Jamie murmured in John's ear as he pulled the fire mutant's t-shirt over his head. John laughed warmly and grabbed Jamie's shirt, pulling him back into a fierce kiss. For the briefest of moments a warning flashed through John's mind but he quickly dismissed it to lingering apprehension. Smirking wickedly the younger mutant flipped Jamie onto his back, pulling his shirt off as he straddled his lover…

"Shit!" John suddenly stumbled back, clambering awkwardly off the bed and retreating to the wall. Jamie sat up quickly, his eyes widening in horror.

"What? John…I…" the multiplying mutant stuttered, looking helplessly at John but he kept his head bowed. For what felt to Jamie like an eternity John was silent but it was really only a minute until the pyrokinetic quietly spoke up.

"You smell of perfume, you have a love bite on your shoulder and there's scratch marks down your chest."

Jamie took a sharp breath to try and suppress the nausea that swept through him.

"Oh… Christ John I… I didn't… I mean I…" he ran his hands through his hair helplessly. "I don't remember."

"I know…" John replied quietly but his head was still bowed. Jamie sighed heavily, shaking his head helplessly.

"We can't carry on like this John."

The fire mutant took a deep breath.

"We're fine."

Jamie looked the other mutant tiredly, his normally bright blue eyes dulled.

"You can't even look at me."

Slowly John looked back at Jamie, albeit from behind the fringe flopping in front of his eyes. With a heavy sigh he leant back against the wall, dropping his gaze again as silence fell over the two.

"I have to take it," Jamie finally said quietly. John looked back up instantly, shaking his head fiercely.

"No."

"John…"

"If you take the cure then I'm not going to be here when you come back," John stated quietly but firmly. Jamie ran his hands through his hair.

"Well, I don't _want_ to take it!"

"Then don't!" John's eyes were a blazing mix of determination, uncertainty and helplessness. "You take the cure and we're done."

Jamie returned a resigned look.

"We're done if I _don't_," he pointed out. "We can't do this. I can't keep hurting you," his blue eyes looked at John pleadingly. "Please John."

The silence returned. For what felt to both like an age the two mutants stared at each other, the older with his hands clasped firmly on his lap as the other stood, subconsciously twirling the ring on his left hand around on his finger. Finally John moved, making his way slowly forward and leaning down, cupping his hands around Jamie's face and pulling him into a tender, lingering kiss.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, standing quickly before Jamie could object, dropping something on the bed next to the multiplying mutant. Instinctively Jamie turned to his head to look down, a wave of nausea sweeping through him as he found the fire mutant's platinum ring lying next to him.

"John…" his head snapped back up to see the other mutant was already in the doorway. "John!"


	19. Heartfelt Plea

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note:** Firstly – THANK YOU so much for all those reviews. And yes – you convinced me to rattle off a few more chapters… I've been plotting for days and I think I've come up with the ending. Now this is a _ridiculously _short chapter but I've spent so long plotting I just wanted to let you know I was carrying on. So… let's see what we can do with crazy and his little firebug…

**Chapter Nineteen: Heartfelt Plea **

"I'm sorry," John whispered, standing quickly before Jamie could object, dropping something on the bed next to the multiplying mutant. Instinctively Jamie turned his head to look down, a wave of nausea sweeping through him as he found the fire mutant's platinum ring lying next to him.

"John…" his head snapped back up to see the other mutant was already in the doorway. "John!" Jamie leapt to his feet, quickly crossing the room and grabbing the fire mutant's arm, conscious to not hold too tight so as not to alarm him but firmly enough that he could not leave. "Please don't go."

John sighed softly but made little effort to pull away.

"Jamie… we're just going round in circles," he pointed out quietly. The older mutant frowned heavily, frantically wracking his brain for any words that would make John stay.

"I know… but…" Jamie bowed his head helplessly, reluctantly letting go of the fire mutant's arm. "John _please _stay – I can't do this on my own. I can't take the cure without you and I don't wanna go crazy."

John took a deep – shaky – breath.

"Jamie… I can't…"

"I know it's a lot to ask John but I have never asked you to do anything for me, for _us_," he looked up pleadingly. "_Please_ John. Stay with me…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Magneto arched an eyebrow as he made his way down the corridor of his expansive base. Pausing briefly he turned and retraced his steps to a small room off one of the main corridors.

"I smell lighter fluid. And burning."

Mystique glanced up briefly from her yoga with little more than a slight shrug.

"Pyro's back."

"He is?" Magneto gave a small nod. "And Multiple Man?"

"Just Pyro," the shapeshifter replied as she stretched one arm above her head.

"Mmmm," was the only comment Magneto gave as he turned and disappeared from the doorway. Mystique sighed quietly and returned her attention to her yoga. Magneto might not be interested but she was determined to figure out what had happened. Pyro's simple _it wasn't working _just did not cut it with the inquisitive shapeshifter.


	20. Nothing to Do

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note:** Short again I know but quickly put up!

**Chapter Twenty: Nothing to Do**

A toned blue arm stretched gracefully up into the air, slowly arching over from left to right before retracing the movement. For several minutes Mystique continued quietly with her yoga, her eyes closed, her movements calm and controlled…

"Is there something in particular you want Pyro?" she asked suddenly, causing the fire mutant hovering in the doorway to jump slightly.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," he ran his hand through his hair sheepishly as the shapeshifter opened her golden eyes and arched an eyebrow expectantly. "I was just… wondering if there was anything for me to do?"

"Like what?" Mystique lowered her arms slowly. John scowled slightly.

"Well… I don't know. Anything," he shrugged. "There must be _something_. There was _always _something to do around here before."

"Yeah, there used to be," Mystique sighed wistfully. "Alas the humans have been behaving themselves of late."

"Well good for them," John muttered. Mystique pursed her lips slightly.

"You could always tell me what happened between you and Multiple Man if you're bored?"

John sighed heavily.

"I'll be in the training room," he grumbled, turning and heading out into the corridor. Mystique gave a small shake of the head and returned her attention to her yoga. She'd find out eventually…

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

It was late afternoon, or maybe it was early evening. Jamie was not entirely sure. He was far too tired and his head was starting to hurt far too much for him to even bother to look at the clock. Not that it really mattered what time it was – he had nothing to do… and no one to do it with…

_So what? We're just gonna sit and mope?_

_Oh fuck off…_

_I want another drink._

_We had more than enough last night._

_I disagree._

The multiplying mutant couldn't remember going to bed the night before but had no idea if it was for the same reason he couldn't remember patches of the past few months or if he simply had drank too much. Well… he definitely had drank too much… he just wasn't sure if there had been any… _episodes _too.

_What does it matter?_

_Yeah – it's not like we're gonna hurt anyone…_

_That's not the point…_

_I wonder if John's ok…_

_Of course he'll be ok!_

_But he has no where to go…_

_Oh stop worrying! He left us – get over it!_

_But…_

_He'll have just gone running off to Mystique._

_Or Iceblock._

_He wouldn't go off wi…_

_Or Quicksilver._

… …

… …

_If that slimy little…_

_What? Doesn't matter what that slimy little shit does with our _ex.

_But…_

… …

… …

… …

_We should get out of here – it's not healthy being cooped up like this._

_I don't think we should be out in public._

_What? Don't be stupid._

_We can't trust ourselves._

_Oh we'd be fine!_

_No!_

_We should go to Vegas! _

_Oh… Vegas was _fun_!_

_Vegas almost got us killed. _

_Well… yeah. But it was still fun. _

… …

… …

… …

… …

_How about we just have another drink?_

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Mystique couldn't help but frown slightly as she finally found Pyro hiding away in one of the bases far flung recreation rooms, sitting in near darkness flicking his lighter open and shut absently as he stared off into space. She quickly shook her head and made her presence known.

"Pyro?"

"Oh… hey," the pyrokinetic scrambled into a more upright position. "What's up?"

"We have something to do after all," Mystique replied solemnly. "The x-men have lost one of their children."

John frowned slightly.

"And missing x-men are our problem how?"

"This one was stolen. While visiting his parents," she made her way into the room and perched on the sofa arm opposite the younger mutant. "His father is a governor and…"

"You mean they have Tommy?" John interrupted. Mystique paused briefly, thinking back to her earlier conversation with Storm.

"Tommy… yes," she nodded although her face quickly grew serious again. "The group responsible say his father has to get the mutant registration act put back on the table – or they're going to kill him."


	21. Same Old Battle Plan

**A Difficult Decision**

**Chapter Twenty-one: Same Old Battle Plan**

John couldn't help but scowl slightly as he looked out the back of the helicopter as it was lowered under the Xavier Mansion's basketball court.

"You know the first time I got in a helicopter with you guys I thought I would never have to come back here," the fire mutant grumbled, turning to face back into the helicopter. Mystique cast a quick glance over her shoulder at the pyrokinetic, offering a faint, wry smile before returning her attention to landing the aircraft. Grudgingly the fire mutant clambered from the helicopter, turning to face Mystique and Magneto expectantly.

"How about you go and wait in that briefing room they have while we go and speak with the Professor?" Mystique gestured to the door. "I'm sure you remember the way."

John curled his lip up but never the less did as he was told, making his way down the corridor of the basement as Magneto and Mystique went to meet with Xavier. He jumped slightly as a blur appeared in front of him.

"_Finally_," Pietro drawled before flashing the fire mutant a grin. "I was starting to think you guys would _never_ get here."

John arched an eyebrow, unable to help smirking slightly as Pietro waved his hands before crossing his arms and leaning back against the wall in an apparent huff.

"How long have you been waiting?"

Pietro looked up at a clock and shrugged.

"About five minutes," the speedster's eyes lit up as John chuckled and shook his head.

"Well my apologies for keeping you for so long," the pyrokinetic smiled. Pietro's grin widened as he pushed himself away from the wall, stepping in front of John in the blink of an eye.

"Sohowyoubeen?"

John blinked rapidly, smirking as Pietro screwed up his nose. He never could speak slowly for long.

"I've been ok," the fire mutant shrugged. "What about you?"

"Oh not bad," the blonde's grin returned as once again he stepped forward. "I feel a lot better now…" Pietro raised a hand towards the fire mutant but suddenly stepped away again, a scowl pulling on his face. "Well I should'a known you wouldn't be far away."

"Oh don't mind me – he dumped my crazy ass," Jamie muttered as he walked past the two, coming from the direction behind John. "He's all yours."

"Jamie, wait!" John scurried quickly past Pietro – who for once was struck speechless – towards Jamie. "What you doing here?"

"Same as you I imagine," the multiplying mutant shrugged, although he stopped walking, letting out a quiet sigh as he half-turned towards John. "Mystique called me. I was Brotherhood before I was your boyfriend remember. And I'm kinda owe these guys."

"Well, yeah I know but…" John gave a conceding bow of the head before looking back up quickly, offering the older mutant a meek smile. "How are you?"

Jamie arched an eyebrow.

"Still crazy if that's what you mean?"

"No… that's not…" John scowled slightly as Jamie turned and walked away again. He sighed heavily. "That's not what I meant."

Down the corridor Pietro had stood quietly, side on to the other two mutants although he could not resist the occasional glance in their direction. He looked up properly as Jamie walked away, a frown pulling on his brow as he saw John's shoulders slump.

"You ok?" he asked, appearing suddenly by John's side.

"Yeah, fine," John shrugged. Pietro smirked.

"Good – 'cause I don't think I could stand still for long enough to listen to you complain if you weren't," his eyes lit up mischievously, a playful smile pulling on his lips. "Maybe I'll get my rebound fuck after all."

John rolled his eyes but despite himself he too smiled.

"Yeah, maybe," the fire mutant arched an eyebrow. "But not today."

The blonde shuffled about restlessly.

"How about we go wait outside?" he gestured loosely in the right direction before tapping his temple. "I'm sure the old man will let us know when they're ready for us."

"Sure," John nodded, turning and walking steadily towards the outside as Pietro buzzed around him – the latter unable to walk in the same straight line as John at the same speed…

_Could we please see everyone in the briefing room?_

John curled his lip up, turning away from the door that would have led him outside. Quickly the two made their way back towards the briefing room. Jamie glanced up but quickly scowled and looked away as he found John walking in, Pietro right by his side. The pyrokinetic just sighed quietly, slumping back against the wall at the opposite side of the room, arms crossed looking expectantly at the door. Pietro buzzed about in front of him, offering a few quick, light anecdotes but he earned little more than a half-hearted smirk from John and only glares from Jamie.

All three looked up suddenly as the door opened but looked away again as Kitty and Warren entered the room. Just a couple of minutes later Logan sauntered in behind them, cigar in mouth.

"Oh I do love family reunions," he muttered, going to stand next to Kitty and Warren. He frowned heavily as Pietro continued to buzz about. "Will you stand still, you're making me dizzy."

The blonde stopped abruptly but no sooner had he stood still than he started twitching again. He was spared from Logan's wrath however by the arrival of Bobby and Piotr.

"Hey," Bobby offered the gathered mutants a greeting as Piotr made his way to join the rest of the x-men. The ice mutant looked quickly between John and Jamie, a frown pulling on his brow.

"Drake," John replied with a nod – and a hint of a warning. Bobby took heed of the fire mutant's tone and remained silent, simply moving to stand next to John. He blinked rapidly as Pietro suddenly appeared in front of him.

"?"

Bobby arched and eyebrow, trying to play back the sentence in his head to try and figure out what the blonde had said.

"Eh, yeah," he laughed sheepishly as he figured it out. "I'm still straight."

Pietro pouted.

"Wellthatsucks," he looked around the room quickly, his eyes lighting up. "Whataboutthebigguy?"

"Oh, he's batting for both teams," Bobby replied. "And he's newly single."

In the blink of an eye Pietro was gone. John arched an eyebrow and turned to Bobby.

"What's poor Pete ever done to you?"

"What?" Bobby frowned in confusion.

"Setting Pietro on him!" John couldn't help but chuckle quietly. "He's like a horny puppy."

"Oh…" Bobby smiled sheepishly and glanced over to where Pietro was now buzzing around Piotr – much to Logan's chagrin. "Pete doesn't look too upset."

"Just wait," John nodded knowingly. "Pietro doesn't give up."

"Ooops," Bobby shrugged innocently as he continued to observe the blonde. A slight frown pulled back onto his brow as suddenly Pietro stilled. John glanced towards the door and sure enough found Magneto had entered the room, Mystique by his side. The professor, Ororo and Hank quickly followed.

"Is this everyone?" Mystique looked around the room. Ororo nodded.

"We're all here," she confirmed.

"What about Jinx?" John asked. Ororo took a deep breath.

"We decided it was best not to worry him."

"_What_?" John exploded. "His boyfriend's being held captive and you _don't want to worry him_? You don't think he'll maybe want to help?"

"We thought…"

"As much as I love some good old teenage angst," Mystique held up a hand. "Time is a luxury we don't have. Now, we do have a suspicion of who's taken Tommy and where they are keeping him…"

"A suspicion?" Logan arched an eyebrow dubiously. Mystique crossed her arms defensively.

"Do you have _any _idea?" she curled her lip up slightly as Logan bowed his head in conceit. "Then if no one has any objections we stick with our intel."

"So what are we looking at?" Ororo asked as calmly as she could.

"Oh just the usual," Mystique's face screwed up slightly. "Impenetrable building, unknown layout, heavily armed guards…"

"Do we have any sort of blue print of this building?" Hank queried. Mystique shook her head solemnly.

"I'm afraid not. We loosely monitored this group a few months ago but had no reason to follow it up."

"No reason?" Logan arched an eyebrow. Mystique turned on him sharply, ready to dish out a vicious comment but stopped herself.

"Thankfully this building is not as big as the last one we had to search," she continued calmly instead. "And having Jamie in the search party this time will definitely help."

Hank's mouth opened briefly but a sharp look from the multiplying mutant in question shut it again.

"If it's not such a large building – and you have Jamie and Pietro too – surely we won't need to send the same size of team as last time?" Ororo suggested. Mystique nodded in agreement, looking between Jamie and Pietro.

"I agree we'd probably be best with a smaller team than last time," she agreed. "And I dare say this group will have been monitoring the mansion. Safest to leave a solid team here…"

The shapeshifter shut her mouth as there were sudden loud crackles from the surrounding computers, followed quickly by the sound of the door opening.

"What the hell is going on?" a purple haired teenager demanded. Ororo sighed quietly.

"Jinx, we didn't want to alarm you…"

"_Alarm me_?" Jinx scoffed, everything electrical in the room buzzing furiously. "I see the helicopter land and then the triplets tell me that it was on the news that Tommy's been kidnapped and…"

The computer behind Piotr suddenly exploded, sparks flying. Before anyone else could react John reached out and pulled the sparks into a fireball in his hand, twirling it quickly round his fingers before clasping his hand around it and extinguishing the flames.

"Come on," he grabbed Jinx's arm and went to pull him out the door, the youngster startled enough by the explosion to let the older mutant guide him.

"Pyro…" Mystique started to object but John held up his free hand to silence her.

"Someone breaks us in and I flame anyone who tries to shoot me, there you go I know the plan," the fire mutant muttered, leading Jinx from the room and making the short trip down the corridor to the danger room. Shoving the younger mutant into the room John let go of his arm and shut the door, standing in front of it.

"They should have told me!" Jinx yelled, turning angrily back to face John. His purple tinted eyes glistened brightly as the air around him crackled.

"Yes, they should have," John agreed calmly, crossing his arms as the other mutant started forward. Jinx scowled heavily but stayed where he was.

"Let me go back."

"No."

Jinx bristled angrily.

"Let me go! They can't do this! They can't keep me in the dark! They… I can't…" the student's aggressive stance softened. Running his hands through his hair Jinx closed his eyes tightly, his voice growing much quieter. "I just want to know what's going on."

John nodded understandingly, his own stance relaxing as the younger mutant visibly crumbled.

"We have a good idea who took him and where they are. We'll get him back," the fire mutant said reassuringly. Jinx screwed up his face, his fists clenching by his side.

"I should have gone with him! He asked me to go – he _begged _me to go. He wanted me to meet his parents which I said was a really bad idea 'cause they're gonna hate me. I mean they freaked out enough when Tommy came out and I…I'll never be good enough for their son," Jinx glanced up briefly before dropping his gaze again. "We had this huge fight about it. I said some really… I said some really spiteful things to him. I basically said that I didn't need to meet his parents 'cause he was just a bit of fun and…"

John nodded understandingly as Jinx's voice trailed off.

"I'm sure he knows you didn't mean it," he said reassuringly, trying to ignore the little voice that was starting to chirp away at the back of his mind. Jinx shook his head.

"No I was really…" the young mutant let out a shaky breath. "What if something happens to him? What if that's the last thing I get to say to him?"

John opened his mouth to insist that everything would be ok but the words did not come out.

"How about we just concentrate on going and getting him back?" the fire mutant offered instead, gesturing to the door. Jinx nodded slowly, making his way forward as John opened the danger room door again.

"They're going to say I can't come," Jinx frowned slightly.

"I'll make them let you come," John replied, leading the youngster back to the briefing room, pausing at the door. "But you're gonna have to keep control of your power. We can't help Tommy if the jet crashes en route due to some electrical blow out."

The student nodded solemnly and followed John into the briefing room.

"Ah, Pyro just in time," Mystique offered the fire mutant a nod. "We're just heading out. You were right – same old plan. Jamie and I will find you all a way in and Pietro and Jamie will do most of the searching while the rest of us scout the building for… _problems_."

"So – still a smaller team than last time?" John asked, looking around the room quickly. Both Mystique and Ororo nodded.

"Just those in this room except myself and Kitty," she confirmed before turning to Jinx. "Are you up for this?" she asked gently. Jinx gave her a determined nod. "Ok then," she offered the student a soft smile. "Just be careful."

"Sure," Jinx turned quickly and followed the mutants already making their way out the door. Ororo sighed quietly and turned to John.

"Keep an eye on him," she asked softly. John nodded silently as Ororo made her way to the jet to see off the group. John held back for a moment, noticing that Hank was having a quiet word with Jamie. The ambassador gave a satisfied nod to whatever Jamie said and turned towards the door, offering John a quick nod as he passed. The fire mutant returned the nod before looking back at Jamie, catching the multiplying mutant's bright blue eyes. Jamie bowed his head briefly before taking a deep breath and making his way to the door.

"Jamie, wait," John reached out as if to grab his arm but did not actually touch him. The older mutant did stop however, standing in front of John silently. For a moment John just stood too, so many words buzzing around his head but in the end all that came out was a quiet and simple; "Be careful, yeah?"

A faint smile pulled on Jamie's lips.

"You too," he replied, carrying on towards the jet. Taking a deep breath John cursed at himself under his breath, turning to follow the other mutant. Climbing the ramp into the jet he took a seat next to Jinx, offering the younger mutant a reassuring smile. Jinx gave a faint nod before closing his eyes, obviously trying to stay calm and keep his power under control as the jet was fired up. John sighed quietly, glancing briefly across the jet to where Jamie sat at the other side and a couple of seats in front…


	22. Too Easy

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note:** As usual I would like to state that I don't like writing _action _scenes. Also… unless I hear – or read – any objections this isn't going to turn out well. You'll understand when you read it…

**Chapter Twenty-two: Too Easy**

John tapped his fingers impatiently against his crossed arms, constantly looking over his shoulder as he sat near the bottom of the jet's ramp. It had been almost half an hour since Mystique and Jamie had left the jet to go and find a way into the building…

"No sign of them?" a quiet voice asked from behind him. The fire mutant looked to his side as the source of the voice sat down.

"Not yet," he replied quietly. Jinx sighed heavily, running his hands through his hair. Both mutants looked up as a shadow appeared over them.

"I thought Mystique said this place was small?" Logan grumbled, apparently finished having a sniff around the area surrounding the jet.

"I said it was _smaller _than the last place," a silvery voice came from behind Logan. "I did not say it was _small_."

Logan opened his mouth to reply as Mystique arched an eyebrow at him pointedly but shut it again as Hank made his way down the ramp.

"Ah, Mystique you're back," he gave the shapeshifter and the multiplying mutant standing behind her a nod. "Success?"

"We've found a way in," Mystique nodded although a frown pulled on her face. "It was far too easy though if you ask me."

"Are you ever happy?" Logan grumbled. Hank raised a hand to try and stop any confrontation.

"I'm afraid you're right about it being too easy. Ororo has just been in touch. See all these buildings?" he gestured to the numerous warehouses and tall buildings around them. "They have all recently been acquired by the owners of _that_ building."

Mystique curled a lip up as Hank gestured to their original target. Sighing quietly she glanced around the group of mutants gathering quickly around.

"That's a lot more to search than we originally anticipated," she looked between Pietro and Jamie. "Quicksilver – perhaps it would be best if you searched these outer buildings while Multiple Man helps us search the main one?"

Pietro nodded but Hank's brow furrowed.

"I'm not sure that's wise – what if something happens?" he gave the blonde an apologetic look. "I'm just worried since last time. If anything like that were to happen again and you were on your own…"

"The boy will be fine," a bland voice came from the top of the ramp. "On you go Quicksilver."

For just the briefest of moments Pietro's eyes dulled over, his face falling, but before anyone could see he gave a quick nod and disappeared. Mystique shot Magneto a quick look but took a deep breath, biting her tongue although only John noticed.

"Well he has the right idea – we can't waste too much time," she glanced over the group. "Keep your wits about you. I really don't trust how easily Multiple Man and I just got in there. And of course getting the kid back is our top priority but keep your eyes open for anything… _useful_. I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to know exactly what these guys are up to…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

A blur sped suddenly past one of the old, abandoned looking buildings, Pietro suddenly appearing in front of the door. Slowly – by his standards at least – he opened the door. Partly to give himself time to look out for alarms, traps or other such deterrents and partly because the building was _old_ – the speedster didn't trust it not to fall down around him if he made too many sudden movements, light as he was.

As quickly as he dared he scouted through the entire building. He was nearing the end of his search when suddenly he stopped. Doubling back he made his way back through the doorway from which he had entered the room. The metal door had been half open as he'd come in but as he looked at it more closely he found a dent in it. Frowning thoughtfully he reached up, balling up his fist and putting it into the dent…

"Pete?" he quickly pulled his communicator from his pocket. "How tall are you?"

"Pietro…" Magneto's warning voice filtered back to him but Piotr's voice quickly cut over him.

"Six six, why?"

Pietro looked thoughtfully at the dent and at his fist. He was only six foot tall but he didn't reckon it was six inches he had to reach up…

"Never mind…" the blonde shoved his communicator back into his pocket and quickly carried on with his search.

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

John cursed quietly as he made his way down the corridor. It looked exactly the same as the last corridor. Which had looked exactly the same as the corridor before that…

"Jamie!" the fire mutant jumped as the multiplying mutant appeared suddenly from a side corridor. "Jesus you scared he hell outa me. How…" he stopped dead as a loud bang blasted through the corridor. His eyes widened in horror as the mutant in front of him slumped to the ground, blood pouring from his chest. "_Jamie_!"

Intense fire tore down the side corridor, the two armed guards who had took aim at Jamie stood no chance although John barely acknowledged the charred remains he left as he rushed to Jamie's side… only to find a pool of blood. John inhaled deeply to try and fight back the overwhelming nausea sweeping through him. It had just been a dupe…

There was a soft click. John took a sharp breath as he felt a sharp prick in his back, a sudden chill sweeping through him. Before he'd even had time to turn round he heard the distinctive sound of Logan's claws unsheathing, the metal slicing into flesh. Slowly John stood, turning to face Logan.

"You ok kid?" the male asked, eyeing the blood on the floor. John nodded meekly, reaching down to pick up the gun from the guard Logan had just disposed of.

"That's Jamie's blood – or Jamie duplicate blood…" he pulled the cartridge from the gun, holding it up ruefully. The six piece cartridge still held five cure darts. Logan arched an eyebrow.

"Come on – let's just find Tommy and get the hell outa here…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Bobby glanced sideways at the younger mutant next to him, wanting to say something to offer reassurance but he knew there was nothing he could say. Instead he just watched intently as Jinx approached another door.

"Looks like Logan beat us to this one already," Jinx commented, pointing at the three marks on the door that looked distinctly like Logan's claw marks. Bobby nodded but arched an eyebrow slightly. Logan was searching the floor above…

"Let's just double check the room anyway, yeah?" he motioned for Jinx to continue. Instinctively his body iced over as Jinx let out a half gasp half cry. The ice wore off as his eyes fell on the charred body lying in the corner. "Looks like John beat us to this room too," he said quietly, ushering his pale looking student back out the door. The ice mutant glanced back over his shoulder, a frown remaining on his brow. He'd seen far too many of John's burned corpses – something about this one didn't add up. It just didn't… there was no smell. It did not seem _fresh_…

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Piotr wore a similar frown as he made his way round a different floor, his eyes scanning quickly over all the triple scratch marks on the wall, all the scorch marks, a door that had seemingly been super-cooled and then smashed to smithereens…

So distracted was the Russian by all the seemingly familiar sights he almost did not notice the figure in the corner of the room. The young figure, slumped to the ground but being held up in an almost kneeling position by a restraint strapped to the wall. Blood covered the floor around him, more oozing from the three equidistant wounds in his side…

A sharp gasp escaped Piotr's lips as he saw Tommy. Quickly he pulled his communicator from his pocket.

"I've found him… Hank get here quick…"


	23. Walked into That

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note:** Ok, so this chapter was supposed to be longer but I'm really struggling to write the next bit (as you can maybe tell by how long it's been since I've posted) so am just gonna post this for just now and hopefully the writers block will lift soon!

**Chapter Twenty-three: Walked into That**

"Oh my stars…" Hank muttered as he found Piotr – and Tommy. Quickly he rushed forward to where the Russian had freed the young mutant from being held to the wall, laying him down and trying to put pressure on his open wounds. The doctor instinctively held his wrist to check for a pulse. "It's weak… but it's there," he looked at the wounds that Piotr quickly uncovered to show him. "My word… they look like…"

Piotr just arched an eyebrow as Hank's voice trailed off. Mystique appeared in the doorway as Hank stood.

"How is he?" she asked, the hint of a concerned frown pulling on her face.

"We need to get him out of here – quick," Hank looked back at Piotr. "Will you be able to carry him? I'll keep the pressure on the wound."

"Sure," Piotr nodded and carefully slipped his arms under Tommy as Hank put his hands where the Russian's had been. Mystique flicked on the communicator the x-men had supplied.

"_Everyone _back to the jet, _immediately_," she instructed sternly, returning her attention quickly to Hank and Piotr. "I'll stay ahead of you and look out for guards. Not that I've come across any yet…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Warren was the first of the x-men to return to the jet, finding Magneto waiting at the foot of the ramp. The x-man was about to ask the Brotherhood leader if anyone else had returned but it another voice spoke up first.

"Where's Tommy?" Jinx ran up to the jet, Bobby not far behind.

"We're the first back," Magneto replied calmly, gesturing round the small group. Jinx took a deep breath, turning away from the others, running his hands through his hair. The four mutants stood in silence for what felt to them like an eternity although realistically it was only a couple of minutes that passed before Hank, Piotr and Mystique appeared from the shadows. Bobby saw them first, a startled gasp escaping his lips that alerted the anxious mutant next to him.

"Tommy!" Jinx started forward but stopped sharply as he saw all the blood. "Oh my God…"

"What happened?" Bobby asked of Mystique as Piotr and Hank quickly carried Tommy onto the jet, Jinx following anxiously behind. Mystique paused by the remaining mutants, arching an eyebrow as Logan and John now approached.

"He was stabbed," she looked straight at Logan, running her fingers over the three scars on her own side. "He has three identical stab wounds…"

Logan's eyes widened slightly.

"What? You're not suggesting that I…"

Mystique just pursed her lips, looking towards the building suspiciously. Magneto looked round the group.

"Is everyone back?"

"Jamie's not back," John frowned concernedly, looking back at the building from which he'd come.

"Pietro's not back either," Mystique added, glancing up at the jet. "We don't have time to waste."

"I'll go fire up the jet," Bobby started forward. "Get it ready to take off the second we're all on board."

"Mystique gave a small nod, gesturing for the remaining mutants to follow.

"I'll wait for Quicksilver and Multiple Man."

Warren turned and followed Bobby up the ramp but Magneto, John and Logan stayed where they were, Magneto regarding the building in front of them suspiciously as John watched it anxiously as the x-man next to them simply lit a cigar and surveyed the whole situation. Logan twitched suddenly as he heard smelt and felt movement nearby but by the time he reacted Pietro stood amongst them.

"Yougotthekid?"

Mystique gave a swift nod.

"Did you find anything useful?"

Pietro shook his head, taking a deep breath as he concentrated on speaking slowly.

"Only that it looked like you guys had already turned the place over," he replied. "There's burnt bits, claw marks, bent metal…"

Mystique arched an eyebrow. Not unlike the main building…

"No guards?"

"Not living ones."

"Me and the pyromaniac came across a couple of live ones," Logan offered, taking a puff of his cigar and glancing over at John. Mystique arched an eyebrow questioningly, turning to the fire mutant but he paid her no heed.

"You came across guards Pyro?" she prompted.

"What?" the pyrokinetic glanced briefly at her, a scowl quickly pulling on his face as he turned his attention back to the building. "Oh… yeah I flamed a couple and Logan sliced one up."

Mystique tilted her head slightly at John's almost dismissive tone.

"Were they armed?"

"Aren't they always?" John grumbled. He worried his bottom lip as he looked over the building for any sign of Jamie. He shouldn't be taking this long… something must have happened to him…

The breath John hadn't realised he'd been holding escaped his lips as the multiplying mutant emerged from one of the side doors. As his panic gave way to relief John couldn't help but regard the older mutant walking towards them thoughtfully – the confident stride, the determined look in those piercing blue eyes…

"Is the kid…" Jamie made a prompting hand gesture, not wanting to finish the sentence as he came within earshot of the group.

"Badly injured but alive," Mystique replied quickly as she realised the multiplying mutant knew something. Jamie shook his head.

"They never intended to give the kid back," he handed Mystique a file. "They planned to kill him and make it look like we'd done it while we were trying to rescue him."

Mystique's eyebrow arched in understanding.

"Well that explains the state of the place – and the lack of guards," she sighed. "So they make us look like some crazed vigilantes who indiscriminately use our mutations to get what we want and they get the registration act put back into play," the shapeshifter's shoulders tensed. "Well we walked right into that one."

Logan arched an eyebrow.

"What about the guards we came across?"

"Probably just a token gesture," Jamie shrugged helplessly. "They never expected us to actually find them."

Logan gave a conceding nod.

"Well let's get the Hell outa here," he threw his now finished cigar to the ground and made his way towards the ramp. Magneto looked contemptuously at the building, gesturing between it and John as Jamie drew alongside Mystique.

"Pyro, do your worst," he said simply. A wry smile pulled on John's lips.

"Would if I could," he shrugged helplessly as he turned and retreated back towards the jet. Magneto arched an eyebrow.

"Well that's unfortunate," he commented. Pietro shot his father a glare although no-one had the chance to see it as he suddenly appeared beside John. Jamie too stepped forward slightly, opening his mouth to call John back but he stopped himself. Sighing heavily he just bowed his head and fell into step alongside Mystique as the three remaining Brotherhood mutants retreated towards the jet.

_You have to talk to him!_

_He'll be gutted by…_

_So what? Selfish little fuck got what he deserved._

_That's not fair! He…_

_Ironic really…_

_I think it's quite funny._

_That's 'cause you're a sadistic motherf…_

"Is that everyone?" Bobby called from the cockpit. The ramp raised quickly as Mystique confirmed they were ready for take off before turning to offer Hank assistance – Magneto, Logan and Warren quietly taking their seats. Jamie cast a quick glance towards where John sat, his head bowed against the window next to him. Once again he made a slight movement forward but quickly changed his mind, turning instead to help Hank and Mystique. Pietro watched from the side as Jamie retreated before he made his way over to John, sitting down next to him. He waited for a moment, glancing past the other male out the window as the jet flew back towards the mansion.

"You ok?" he asked finally, quietly. John sighed tiredly, rolling his head slowly towards the back of the jet where the three mutants frantically treated Tommy.

"No."

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Jamie stifled a yawn as he made his way through the mansion corridors towards the main door. It was late and he was exhausted but he didn't reckon he would get any sleep. He'd helped with Tommy for as long as he could but there was nothing left that any of them could do now – all they could do was wait and see if the young mutant made it through the night. With nothing left he could do Jamie had taken up the offer of a shower. They had also offered him a bed for the night but he was as yet undecided if he was going to take it. He did not know that he trusted himself to stay… _normal_. The last thing he wanted was for something to happen when he was with the x-men, or worse, the kids. But he was certainly in no rush to back to his home – the home he had shared with John – not having just seen the pyrokinetic again…

_Go find him!_

_Don't you dare!_

_But he…_

_It's a bad idea. You'll get too close._

_I just wanna make sure he's ok._

_And then you'll want to comfort him and we all know how that'll end up…_

The multiplying mutant was still in two – or more – minds as he stepped out of the mansion into the grand garden… just in time to see the Brotherhood's helicopter rise out from underneath the basketball court. A wry smile pulled at his lips. Well that took care of that dilemma. Taking a deep breath he turned and made his way left down the slope but a flicker in the corner of his eye stopped him. Looking to his right he saw John sitting, flicking his lighter open and shut, staring at the tiny flame helplessly. Normally that flame would flare up… but not now.

_Oh go and talk to him!_

_Don't you dare!_

_But…_

A faint frown pulled on Jamie's brow before he shut his eyes tightly, shaking his head as he continued down to the left, walking away from John. He rounded one of the corners of the mansion, looking up as figures walking towards him caught his eye. Marie and Bobby offered him a smile as they pushed their daughter through the garden in her stroller.

"Hey…" Jamie returned the smile meekly, looking to Marie whom he had last seen still caring for Tommy. "Any change?"

Marie shook her head solemnly.

"No, he's still the same," she replied quietly. "Have you decided if you're staying?"

"Eh… no I think I'm just gonna head home," Jamie shrugged, casting the quickest of glances back in the direction from which he'd come. "Nothing more I can do here."

The couple in front of him nodded understandingly.

"Well, we'll maybe see you around then," Bobby smiled wryly. "Although you'll understand if I say hopefully not too soon?"

Jamie managed a faint laugh.

"Yeah, hopefully not too soon," he agreed. He offered the two a genuine parting smile. "You all take care."

"Goodbye Jamie," Bobby slipped his arm around Marie's shoulder and the two continued slowly down the path from which Jamie had come as the multiplying mutant started to head in the direction of the garden. Finally they rounded the corner, a quiet sigh escaping Bobby's lips as he saw the figure sitting in the distance, a familiar little red glow being slowly raised and lowered again. Rolling his eyes he turned to Marie. "I'll just be a minute," the ice mutant made his way off the path to where John sat, arching an eyebrow as he approached. "How many times do I have to tell you that smoking is not allowed on school grounds?"

A wry, smoky laugh escaped John's lips.

"It's been a shitty day," he muttered, taking another drag from the cigarette. Bobby smiled sympathetically and sat down next to him. John sighed heavily, looking over at him. "How's Tommy?"

"Hanging on," Bobby replied solemnly. He glanced up at the sky. "I thought I saw the helicopter take off?"

"You did," John shrugged. "I wasn't in the mood to go back to the base."

"Ah," Bobby nodded understandingly, although a faint frown pulled on his brow. "Where are you going to go?"

"No idea," John admitted. "I just figured I'd speak to Jamie and then… I don't know."

"Oh well you'd better hurry if you wanna catch Jamie," Bobby pointed in the general direction of the garage. "We just saw him getting ready to leave."

"What?" John frowned heavily, clambering to his feet, glaring at the cigarette in his fingers. He'd have caught him if he'd have just waited inside. Instinctively he held up his free hand to pull the sparks out of the cigarette, a quiet curse slipping from his lips. Throwing his cigarette under his boot he offered Bobby a quick wave and ran past Marie in the direction of the garage.


	24. Reasons

**A Difficult Decision**

**Author's Note:** Short and sweet.

**Chapter Twenty-four: Reasons**

A heavy, tired sigh escaped Jamie's lips as he unlocked his car. It had been nice to have company for a change – to hear voices other than his own. But he daren't risk staying longer. He had been fortunate enough to last this long without…

"Jamie!"

The multiplying mutant stopped with the driver's door half opened. For a moment he contemplated ignoring the voice and getting in the car regardless.

"Jamie… please…"

Jamie sighed faintly and turned to face the younger male behind him although he left the car door open. John offered him a small, grateful smile.

"I just wanna talk," he said quietly, gesturing back to the outside. "Can we… go for a walk?"

Jamie took a deep breath, closing his eyes briefly as instantly the voices flared up in both disagreement and encouragement. Finally he gave a small nod, shutting the car door and stepping forward. John breathed a quiet sigh of relief, turning to fall into step alongside the older male as the two made their way outside.

"You know, when I asked how you were earlier," the pyrokinetic said quietly as they stepped into the cool night air. "I really wasn't asking if you were still crazy."

Jamie couldn't help the faint smile that pulled at his lips.

"Then I've been…" he let out a quiet, dry laugh. "I've been drunk a lot."

John gave a small, understanding nod.

"Mystique doesn't let me drink too much," he replied, trying to sound light but it didn't quite pull off. Jamie glanced across at the younger mutant, sighing softly at the pyrokinetic's dejected looking demeanour.

"Quite right – very bad for you," he replied although his light tone was not much more successful than John's.

"You did seem ok," John commented, shoving his hands in his pocket, dropping his gaze slightly as he walked. "I mean while we were getting Tommy. You seemed quite… confident."

"Are you kidding?" Jamie scoffed quietly. "I was _terrified_ that I was gonna…" he waved a hand. "You know."

John nodded understandingly.

"Have you thought any more about…" he couldn't help his voice growing quieter. "Taking the cure?"

"Sure I've _thought_ about it," Jamie admitted, albeit with a wry laugh. "Part of me was kinda hoping I'd get hit by accident," the multiplying mutant frowned slightly as he realised what he was saying. "Sorry. How you feeling?"

"Oh… I'm fine…" John shrugged dismissively although it did not hide the slump of his shoulders. "So you're not taking it then?"

"Not on my own."

A brief silence fell.

"I went down and saw Jinx," John spoke up again. "He's in pieces. You know they had a fight? Him and Tommy before Tommy went to his parents – Jinx told him he was just a bit of fun and that he didn't love him and…" the fire mutant's speech grew faster. "And it got me thinking that I should talk to you before we left but of course me being me I bottled it and…"

"John, you're rambling," Jamie interrupted uneasily. The younger male sighed heavily but continued none the less.

"But I have to say sorry Jamie. All the times you were there for me and the one time you needed me I let you down and…"

"John don't…" Jamie frowned slightly, consciously putting a little more distance between himself and John as they continued to walk. John shook his head, stopping suddenly.

"Jamie! Please I…" he inhaled deeply. "I saw one of your dupes get shot. I thought it was you and… I just…"

Jamie too stopped, turning to face John.

"Don't do this," he pleaded again quietly. "John, we both know this isn't going to end well, we cant… you can't…" the multiplying mutant closed his eyes tightly, running his hands through his hair. "You know this is something we can't get past and it was hard enough to say goodbye to you the first time John, I can't do it again."

Jamie bowed his head and turned away, starting to walk back towards the garage. A knot tightened in his gut as he heard John take a shaky breath behind him but he kept on walking – until he felt a short, sharp pain in his side. Stopping suddenly, a frown spread onto his face as an eerie silence fell. Slowly he looked down at his side, his eyes widening slightly as he found a cure dart sticking through his shirt. A strange mixture of confusion, panic and relief swept through him as he looked down at the small weapon.

"I'm not going anywhere," came a quiet voice from behind him. For a moment or two longer Jamie just continued to stare at the dart before he turned and looked at John, the pyrokinetic looking back at him with slightly wide eyes himself.

"Wh… I…" Jamie stuttered, frowning in confusion. John returned an earnest look.

"I don't like it," he stated honestly. "But then neither do you. And I spoke to Hank – he says that there's a chance that when it wears off you won't necessarily go straight back to the multiple personality. Being cured might give your brain a chance to clear itself and it'll take time for you to build up the…" he waved his hands as he struggled to word what he was trying to say. "It'll always come back but here's hoping it takes a while."

Jamie nodded slowly, unable to help the smile spreading onto his lips.

"That would be good…" the smiled faded into uncertainty. "John, are you sure about…"

"You know, I started sleeping with you because you were sexy and charismatic and confident," John interrupted. "And I agreed to date you because you made me laugh and because we have so much in common and I fell in love with you because…" a sheepish smile pulled on John's lips. "Well all of the above. And the fact that you just… _understand _me. And because…" he shrugged helplessly. "Just because you're you. At no point has the fact that you can duplicate ever come into it. I admit that your power impressed me at first but really it's not your power that … _you _have all the wit, and cunning and skill. Your power just allowed you to use it all at once," the younger male's casual façade cracked as he took a shaky breath. "You are still you and I still love you and I am really, _really so _sorry for letting you down and I swear I wanna make it up to you. I'll be there for you if… if that's still what you want."

Jamie couldn't help his lips curling into a smile.

"Of course that's what I still want," he replied quietly, taking a small, inviting step forward. John's anxious expression broke into a smile as he quickly closed the gap between them, wrapping his arms around the taller male, burying his head in his chest as he held him tight. Jamie laughed softly, giving John a quick squeeze before pulling away gently, tilting John's face up into a tender, lingering kiss. The pyrokinetic smiled as they parted, running a hand through Jamie's dark hair although a concerned frown pulled on his brow.

"Are… you ok? I mean… with…"

Again Jamie laughed quietly.

"Are you kidding?" he gestured loosely to his head. "It's quiet. _Silent _even. I admit part of me feels a little… sick but overall," he smiled reassuringly. "Overall I'm relieved."

John gave a small, understanding nod.

"In that case," he looked up at Jamie hopefully. "Can we go home?"

Jamie's smile broadened as he pulled his once-again boyfriend into another kiss, deeper this time.

"Yeah," he nodded, running a hand through John's floppy blonde hair, looking back at him warmly through his bright blue eyes. "We can go home."

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

**Author's Note: **The end! Woo hoo! I hope you enjoyed reading this – I know I struggled to write bits of it which upset me 'cause I was really looking forward to writing this story so I really do hope you liked the idea as much as I did. Thanks again for reading! Maybe see you all next story…


End file.
